brighter than sunshine
by ohwhatsherface
Summary: 30kisses. SasuSaku. Tied up in ancient history, I didn't believe in destiny. I look up, you're standing next to me. What a feeling...
1. the greeneyed monster

**Title: **the green-eyed monster named SAKURA, not _jealousy_!**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#4 our distance and that person  
**Word Count: **793**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

This one is kinda Sasuke/Sakura/Sai.

-

-

You're not jealous.

You most certainly are _not_.

_Why_ would you be jealous?

It's not like you like her or anything.

So what if the girl who used to be your number one fan girl is so blatantly obviously groping at your copy?

Okay fine.

She wasn't exactly your number _one_ fan girl (she was like… what? number sixty-five or something…) since she actually had a mind and a brain and bit of common sense to go with it. And he isn't exactly your _copy_ so to say (the two of you just looked _very_ alike, almost like _twins_. It kind of causes you to wonder if your father was being a cheating prick before he died—or well, around the time that _you_ were conceived—and had a bastard son who was then named Sai…) since he is a little more girly (although you both have a thing for showing off your abdomens). And she isn't exactly _groping_ him, just more so… healing the giant gaping wound that Sai-teme (so what if you're pulling a Naruto?) had gotten while protecting Sakura—

That bastard.

Your scowl deepens and you twitch in your hiding place in a tree above them.

(Now you're wondering how the hell they aren't noticing you, and just how the hell _Sai_-teme hopes to protect Sakura, if he can't even sense your presence.)

"You are an idiot!" Sakura screams, still healing him. "Why, why, _why_ would you jump in the way of an attack for me?!"

Sai-teme coughs a bit and smiles (how _dare_ he smile at your cherry blossom?!). "You're hideous enough as it is," he says, annoying you even further. "I highly doubt getting stabbed in the stomach will help you look any better…"

You feel like throwing a kunai at him or something to defend Sakura, who simply takes the insult, chuckles dryly, and continues with the healing process. Who does he think he is, calling Sakura ugly? Fine, maybe she's not exactly god's gift to men, but she is very beautiful in her own way.

A sniffle makes its way to your ears and you frown when you realize that Sakura is crying.

Why is she crying?

Is she crying over _him_?

The part of the branch you're holding to help keep your balance makes a cracking noise and you remember to let go. You hate that spot that you are crouching in because she is _right there_. She is right in front of you (well technically, _below_ you).

Regardless, she is so close yet _so_ far away.

"Stop crying Hag. You're getting uglier."

Sakura smiles (she _smiles_. Why the hell is she _smiling_?), and wipes her forehead. You take note that she has grown into that big forehead she used brandish as a child (and think that having a big forehead was such a _stupid_ reason to be insulted for).

"Shut up and rest," she mutters, using a clean cloth to dab the sweat that is on his face.

"You should too…" Sai-teme murmurs, slowly falling asleep. "Maybe it'll make you prettier."

You watch _her_ as she watches _him_.

She waits until his breathing sets out evenly before letting out a breath of relief. You stare at her face intently and see that content and relieved and positively _happy_ smile quirking on her lips as she continues to watch _him_. If it wasn't for the constant banter between them (albeit said banter _was_ only joking—at least on Sakura's side), you would think that that look in her eyes combined with the smile on her lips was _loving_ but you knew better.

For a moment (and only a moment) you wonder if she used to look at _you_ like that back when _you_ were the unconscious one and she was tending to _your_ wounds.

(Having people touch you was _never_ something you could bear but when the time came and you didn't have a choice on the matter, you always let _her_ bandage you up. She had a nice, healing and comforting touch that always made you feel soothed.)

Your gaze intensifies when she makes a tired sound and slumps forward a bit. She catches herself on her hands and then throws her head back and yawns widely.

She looks down at Sai-teme and brushes his bangs away from his eyes while he sleeps contentedly.

And then slowly—ever so slowly, you notice her lowering her head until its right over his, and even though you really don't want to believe it, you know that she's stealing a kiss from him.

You swallow hard and tell yourself that you _do not care_ because hey—

You're not jealous.

You most certainly are _not_.

_Why_ would you be jealous?

It's not like you like her or anything.

-

made for 30kisses


	2. you want to love me

**Title: **you want to love me…**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#12 in a good mood  
**Word Count: **880**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto (or Miss Congeniality).

-

-

You're an idiot.

Really, you're so stupid, you make Naruto (_NARUTO_!) look like a genius (well okay fine, maybe that's taking it too far).

Or well, at least right _now_.

"You think I'm gorgeous…"

(She smiles at you evilly while saying her words in a taunting manner.)

You just _had_ to let it slip, didn't you?

You're not sure you to put the blame on this time. You know that you're going to put the blame on someone else because you really suck at accepting things as they are. You look at everyone (but carefully so your looking doesn't seem so obvious) at the table (except for _her_ of course) and contemplate who you should say the fault goes to.

The easier and usual choice is Naruto since stupidity is more often than not the root of all problems and the blond idiot is just full of it, but you know that the real culprit is Sai.

He just _had_ to call Sakura ugly.

And you just _had_ to open your (stupid, stupid, _traitorous_) mouth and contradict the naïve smiley little fucker.

"You want to kiss me…"

(Ah, she's still going on with her mocking, isn't she?)

"You want to love me…"

You stiffen at that one because she said the oh-so _cursed_ l-word (BLASPHEMY! BLASPHEMY!) and you think she's not making sense anymore because that word most certainly doesn't exist in your vocabulary.

"Shut up Sakura," you mutter darkly.

You roll yours eyes then glare at her, and cross your arms over your chest, hoping to come off as that cold bastard she thinks you are and you (want to) think you are, but the thing is that you know that deep down, on the inside, over the moat, passed the fire breathing dragon, and beyond those brick walls you made all around your heart, you have a soft spot for her and you really _don't_ want to come off as that cold bastard because doing so would _hurt_ her and then she would look at you like _that_ (startled, hurt and with glassy eyes because she absolutely _refuses_ to look weak in front of you) and that would make _you_ hurt too.

Oh well.

Apparently your glaring does nothing to ruin her good mood.

"You want to hug me…"

"Shut up," you repeat, this time more forcefully.

The intonation of your order does nothing to effect her ("You want to smooch me…"), but it most certainly does something to Naruto ("Ha, ha, Sasuke-teme! You think Sakura-chan's pretty! You think Sakura-chan's pretty!") and a bit of a something to Sai (that _stupid_—you don't want to use the word 'annoying' for some reason since in your mind, its so _bad_ that it can only fit one certain _person_—smile of his merely widens yet still remains without any real feelings).

"Sakura, shut up."

"You want to marry me…"

Now you think she's going a tad bit too far and you _really _want her to shut up.

The only problem though, is that you've told her to shut up at least three times but all that's done so far is made that wonderful mood she's in even greater (_three_ times greater) and made Naruto (that _stupid_, stupid blond monkey!) laugh and Sai (fucking _bastard_! This is _his_ entire fault!) smile some more.

"You want to kiss me…"

So you decide to go in for the kill.

Her lips look puckered when she says the word 'you' (about to goad you some more, of course. You sort of wonder what she going to say that time. Was she going to say something new, or was she going to repeat something again like she just did because she already announced that you wanted to kiss her yet she said it a second time) and you think that she has never looked so darn kissable.

You grab her head (which isn't hard since you're sitting beside her) and cup both of her cheeks with your hands. She stops talking at that word ('you') since you kind of freak her out and you take advantage of the fact that her lips are rather puckered by pressing your lips against hers.

You're not exactly gentle, but you're not too rough either, but none of that really matters because it's not like she's complaining.

After a moment, you pull back and let go of her face. It's then that you notice them all staring at you in shock.

Or well, not all of them. Sai just smiles. It kind of bothers you how someone can be so bloody _happy_ (looking) all the time, but you say nothing of it.

"Y—You just kissed me!" Sakura screeches.

You fight with the smile that really wants to come out and onto your ever broody (but very beautiful) face, and as usual, you win therefore no smile gets to be seen. Instead, you look back at your forgotten ramen and play around with the noodles using your chopsticks.

Maybe you're not smiling, but you look rather content.

"You kissed me!" she repeats sounding pretty embarrassed.

(You're not looking at her, but you know for a fact that she's blushing.)

In response, you shrug.

She was the one saying you wanted to kiss her, so why was she so surprised?

-


	3. ew, it's hospital food

**Title: **ew, it's _hospital_ food…**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#18 "say ah…"  
**Word Count: **1581**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

-

-

There is nothing you hate more than being weak.

Being weak meant that you could be beaten.

Being weak meant that you could be dominated.

Being weak meant that you could be put under the care of one Nurse Haruno.

You often curse your luck.

This isn't the first time it's screwed you over. Remember that time when Itachi killed the entire clan and you just came home for the big finale? Or what about the time where you just _had_ to be chosen by that snake freak who _wanted your body_ and then he bit you and cursed you? Or maybe that time where Sakura told you she loved you and you knocked her out and left her on the bench? Sure, karma hasn't gotten you back yet for scorning a woman who now has a fury that hell hath no, but it _will_ and you know that when it will, it's gonna really suck to be you (or well, suck more than usual).

You hate your luck because it works in weird ways.

(Right now, you're just not sure if its bad since you're so injured that it hurts to move, or if its good because holy hell, is that _Sakura_ in a _nurse_ uniform?!)

"Good morning Sasuke-kun!" Sakura greets, perkier than any normal person should be considering how it is the _morning_.

You often find yourself wondering how someone like her—the girl who used to punch out Naruto for commenting (badly) on matters like her _hair_—could be so bloody _cheerful_ when it was the _morning_ and it most certainly was not _good_. But immediately, after realizing that you're wondering about her—_Sakura_!—you immediately put on your usual scowl and try to wonder about _other_ things (like how you're gonna get stronger or how you're gonna kill Itachi).

"How was your rest?" she questions, picking up the binder thing at the end of your bed that has your files. Sakura remains smiling while reading and talking. "Were you able to sleep last night? I hope you had no nightmares or anything. It's okay to be scared of the dark—"

"I slept _fine_," you say, effectively cutting her off.

She babbles too much, in your opinion.

It's _annoying_.

You contemplate telling her so but then you remember that your karma points in the matters of she called Sakura are already bad enough, and you don't need any _more_ crap effecting them—

"I have your breakfast now Sasuke-kun!"

_God_, she's annoying.

You glance at her and see her pulling that table at the end of your bed closer to you, and then putting the tray of food on it. She works quickly and quietly to prepare everything for you to eat it like a true professional who has done so tons of times, and you realize it's because there are people who _don't _think she's annoying because she's always helping _them_ and that maybe, just maybe, you should be at _least_ a little bit grateful.

"Say ah…"

You blink and then see a spoon of some porridge right in front of you. You struggle not to cringe because even if it means agreeing with Naruto, you think that the hospital food tastes like cardboard drenched with sweat from feet (not that you've tasted that) and is probably used to really keep you there by making you sicker than you really are.

"Hn."

Sakura glares at you for testing her but she immediately smiles to cover up her annoyance.

"Say _ah_, Sasuke-kun," she orders sternly.

But you refuse to listen to her because not only are you angry at her for trying to poison you with that disgusting hospital food, but because you are now stuck under her care because you were stupid enough to be weak enough to get your arms broken and then not be strong enough to heal quicker.

You curse your luck some more.

"Go to hell," you say through your clenched teeth.

It's not that you're trying to sound intimidating (well not _completely_), it's just that you're scared (yeah, SCARED!) that she'd use the opportunity in which your mouth is open in order to shove some of that _crap_ in your mouth and try to provide your body with some energy from _food_ but you know damn well that _that_ is most certainly _not_ food.

"Say ah."

"Fuck no."

The two of you stare at each other for a moment. You take the time to admire her beauty (because its there and while you're supposed to be looking at her, you might as well check her out a little) and struggle not to smile because the sight of that fire in her eyes and that slightly frustrated frown on her face is impossibly cute (cute isn't a word in your vocabulary but you'll make an exception this one time) and it sort of makes you want to kiss her.

Sakura sighs and you know that you've won.

_Now_ you smile.

Or well, not _smile_ per se. You don't do smiling. You're an Uchiha. You people don't smile (but then again, your mom smiled. She smiled a lot…). You smirk.

So yes, you don't smile.

You smirk.

In triumph, because you know you've won your two minute long battles of the wits and you now do not need to eat the nasty hospital porridge.

"I made pudding," she announces.

You look at her and find her reaching into her bag. She takes out a small container with chocolate goopy stuff in it. You know that it's chocolate and you cringe slightly because you really, really don't like sweets. Sakura does, but you _don't_.

"I hate pudding."

She rolls her eyes and spoons some of it and then brings it up to your mouth.

"Fuck you," you say, being the ass you are.

But Sakura, being the wonderful girl that _she_ is, ignores your rudeness and grabs your face with that evil, cursed, wretched, _horrendous_ super strength of hers, tightly closing her fingers to press on your cheeks. You end up opening your mouth in a way that makes you look like a _fish_, but you don't quite care about that because Sakura is suddenly looking at you oddly.

Like she's calculating…

Or trying very hard to make some sort of decision…

There's a weird look in her eyes while you glare at her for holding your face in such a weird way that you're breathing funny and your lips are puckered and it feels like if you could only move your arms (damn those rain-nin!), you would grab _her_ face and make _her_ lips pucker and then you would kiss her wildly—

Or not.

"Say _ah_, Sasuke-kun," she mocks, smirking in delight at the fact that your arms are broken and you are completely at her disposal (really, she's _feeding_ you. Sure, you have fantasized Sakura feeding you grapes while you sat on a throne and she wore one of those slave girl costumes _but this is not cool_).

The only thing that is making you feel slightly better about the fact that you're at Sakura Haruno's will, that your body hurts, that you'll be stuck in the hospital for a few weeks, or even that she's still holding your face funny, is the fact at least _Naruto_ isn't around to laugh at you and your misfortune.

(You curse your luck some more. It might have saved you from _further_ humiliation but damnit, its still there.)

And so she shoves the spoon in your mouth and you make a face that says her cooking sucks when on the contrary, it's actually really good. You fight off a shudder when you remember how Sakura used to cook, back when you were genin, and are glad that she grew out of her baking-burned-_crap_ days.

Finally, she lets go of your face and you send her the most ferocious looking scowl you can manage.

"Hn."

Sakura rolls her (pretty, beautiful, green) eyes at your childishness and dips the spoon back into the cup. She takes it out and then looks at you and pauses.

That look, the one that was in her eyes earlier, is in her eyes again. You know the calculating and confused one.

The tempted one.

"You… I… Um, you've got pudding on your lip."

You don't hear her speak, only see her lips move (not that you're staring at them). You frown a bit when she puts the spoon down (not that you wanted the pudding or anything. It wasn't _that_ good) and bites her lip looking a tad bit miserable.

"What's your prob—"

And before you can finish your question, she presses her lips against yours and it seems like the greatest feeling in the world. Her lips are touching yours firmly but it isn't anything too special. It is nothing more than a closed mouth against a closed mouth yet for some reason you don't want it to end at all. She pulls back but not really and her lips are a mere centimeter from yours and if you could only move your body, you would force forward to claim her mouth again (but ha, you _can't_).

You can feel the warmth of her breath against yours and _god_—

"Sorry."

She jumps away from you hastily and runs out of the room with her cheeks flushed and a small grin on her face.

You smile a bit and then lean back comfortably against your pillow.

Suddenly, you really like pudding.

-

-

_Pudding rocks_


	4. for you darling, it's on me

**Title: **for you darling, it's on me**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#1 look over here  
**Word Count: **1069**  
Warning: **AU (which _can_ lead to _slight_ OOCness)**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

-

-

Sasuke sighed tiredly as he walked along with his girlfriend in the Konoha Carnival, holding under one arm the stuffed bear he won (frankly, he didn't really win the thing with the intention of giving it to her. He actually just wanted to play the game…) and letting her hug the other one.

Why was he dating her again?

Oh right because of his _father_. Sasuke scowled, remembering the day his parents told him that for the sake of business, Sasuke would have to marry one of the redhead, super _irritating_ daughter of one of Fugaku's business partners. His scowl deepened when he felt that there was no longer any blood circulating in his left arm because of _her_.

Karin.

Ugh…

"Ooh, Sasuke-kun! Look at those necklaces! I'm gonna go into this shop, alright hun?"

She tried to kiss him but Sasuke managed to dodge it.

He let out another sigh as he leaned against the post of the booth next to the tent Karin went under to do some more shopping.

"Wow. You look totally depressed."

Sasuke looked behind him and saw a girl sitting behind the counter of the booth he was leaning on. She had a funnel cake in front of her which she ate it slowly (he could tell she was taking her time at it because the ice cream was well on its way to melting).

"Are you okay?" she asked kindly.

She had short pink hair that swept over her shoulders and big, _beautiful_ green eyes. She wore a red, long-sleeved shirt (since it was fall and it was rather chilly), and a black, pleated skirt with a white belt on it.

"I'm fine," Sasuke muttered tersely (when he most certainly was _not_ fine).

"You're not fine."

Ah, she was a mind reader.

Sasuke glanced around, wondering if he would find a sign saying that this was a fortune-telling booth, but all he found was one that said 'ON BREAK' in big, black letters.

"You're not okay," she added.

The pink-haired girl put down her fork, stabbing it into the funnel cake, and then moved closer to Sasuke by sitting on the counter. He didn't notice the way that he dropped the bear onto the floor and was now leaning on the counter as well, putting his weight on one hand while staring into the girl's eyes.

"Most certainly _not_ well—"

Hm, synonyms.

"I get the point," he interrupted.

"Do you?" she inquired, sounding a bit mocking. "Because I think that if you _did_ get the point, you'd do something to fix this lack of okay-ness."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and she continued staring at him as if she was a doctor and he was her patient.

"You don't know me," Sasuke growled, now angry.

"But I think it'd like to know you," she admitted forwardly. The girl giggled and put a hand over her mouth as if to try and cover up what she just said. "Wow… I can't believe that just came out of my mouth… Right, so what's your name again?"

"Sasuke."

(And he couldn't believe that _that_ just came out of _his_ mouth.)

"Ah," she said with a nod. "Sasuke, huh? Well I'm gonna call you Sasuke-kun. So Sasuke-kun, would you like to tell me what's troubling you and making you look like a depressed little boy?"

His mood darkened. "I am _not_ depressed and why would I talk to _you_? I don't know who you are, heck I don't even know your name."

She waved a hand. "Ne, technicalities, technicalities." The green-eyed girl smiled even more. "I'm majoring in Psychology right now at the U of K, alright? Enlighten me for a minute and let me see if I know your 'type' well enough. And let me work on my people knowing skills too."

Sasuke merely watched as she scratched her chin then began to count things off of her fingers.

"Alright so you are obviously unhappy. You have daddy issues, and are a total mama's boy." She pursed her lips. "And… you're a middle child?"

He smirked.

"Youngest."

The girl shrugged. "Close enough. So there. You have a superiority complex of sorts because your older sibling was _all over_ the overshadowing department so now you want to be better than not only him, but everyone else. And…" She glimpsed at the fallen teddy bear. "You are here with a girlfriend, and judging by the way you don't care about the condition of her prize, a token of your 'love' from you to her, I think that you don't _want_ to be in said relationship. And…"

She pursed her lips again and then shook her head.

"Yeah, that's all I've got."

She giggled.

"So how right was I?"

Sasuke swallowed because this was _definitely_ a Psychic Booth.

"Perfect."

"Wow," the girl said, blinking. "Really? I usually suck at these guessing games." A clock rang in the background, causing the two of them to jump. The girl immediately shut off the alarm and then took down the break sign she had up. "So then you really are depressed, aren't you?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

(So they were back to that again?)

"I'm _fine_."

"You're _not_ fine," she corrected.

"Listen you annoying little psychic, I _am_ fine—"

And suddenly, he felt like he didn't need to lie anymore because she was _kissing_ him.

It was a bit awkward with the two of them leaning into each other from either side of the booth counter but that did nothing to the feel of her mouth against his. Her lips were as soft as he wondered they were and her tongue was just as amazing, he concluded as it slipped between the slight opening of his mouth and inside. She rubbed her tongue against his and Sasuke suddenly felt like he really was fine.

After a moment, she pulled back and smiled at him brightly.

"I know you have a girlfriend, but hey, you're depressed, remember?"

She giggled and Sasuke decided that it was the sweetest sound he'd ever heard.

"But right, I'm Sakura." She then smirked at him. "And don't worry if you don't have the dollar to pay for that kiss."

Sasuke blinked.

"What?"

She pointed upwards. Sasuke then realized that nope, he wasn't in a psychic booth, but a _kissing_ booth.

Sakura giggled again at his confused and embarrassed expression.

"For you darling, it's on me."

-

-

_So random…_

_HAPPY TURKEY DAY!_


	5. you're definitely a stalker

**Title:** you're definitely a stalker…!**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#11 gardenia  
**Word Count: **1241  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

Sequel to _for you baby, it's on me_.

-

-

"You're stalking me."

The girl—Sakura!—merely smiled back at him brightly and shook her head a bit.

"Actually Sasuke-kun, to the contrary, _you_ are the one who is doing the stalking, if you really want to call it 'stalking'. In case you didn't notice, _you_ were the one who came to _me_, not the other way around. But I guess if it makes you feel better, you can say I'm stalking you. Maybe claiming it as such will help sate your dying need to be in my wonderful presence—"

"You talk a lot."

"So I've heard."

She giggled (oh, what a beautiful sound) and Sasuke walked away from the counter to the flower shop to go see what was in stock.

"You don't work here," he said.

He fingered the petals of the pink roses (trying not to make note of how similar the color of the flowers and the color of the psych-major's hair).

"The girl who _does_ work here is blond, ditzy, and always jumps on me whenever I come into the store," he reasoned smartly. "And besides, all employees at the Yamanaka Flower Shop are to wear that green apron with their logo on it. Other cashiers from the crazy blond chick wear the apron as well. You, woman, are _not_ wearing the apron. "

Sasuke looked away from the pink (like Sakura's hair!) flowers and moved over to gaze at her coolly.

"Therefore no, Sakura, _you_ are stalking _me_."

She snorted lightly.

"So you really think I predetermined that you would be coming here and made sure to be working in place for Ino—the crazy blond chick who is my best friend—the exact same time when you would be buying flowers—" Sakura caught the color of the roses he was standing next to that moment, "—which are red roses, and note that red is a color of love, therefore you are buying said flowers for your girlfriend," she smiled awkwardly, "Presumably the one who you were at the Konoha Carnival with while you were depressed?"

Sasuke snarled, forgetting about their topic of stalking.

"I was _not_ depressed."

"Right," she mocked with an obviously sarcastic voice, "and I didn't kiss you."

At that, Sasuke flinched and his cheeks turned the color of the red roses he was considering for buying. He cleared his throat awkwardly and tried to look around at the flowers meanwhile trying to look as not-gay as possible.

He heard Sakura chuckle and then make a cooing noise.

"Aw, how sweet, you're embarrassed," she teased.

"_Shut_. _Up._"

Sakura giggled some more and then walked around the counter only to show that she _did_ have the green apron that had the Yamanaka Flower Shop logo on it. The top part that hung over the neck was merely folded down. She went over to where Sasuke stood and flashed him a professional smile.

"May I be of any service, Mr. Uchiha?"

Sasuke glared at her and then turned away quickly.

"Hmph, so you know my name."

She nodded. "How can I not? Sasuke Uchiha _is_ the hottest guy on campus. Your name is rather renowned—"

His fists visibly clenched.

So she was a fangirl, huh…

"—but I actually know you because I am _very_ supportive of the school basketball team, which I just so happen to know you play on because I go to every single game, Captain Uchiha. My brother plays for the Konoha Cougars you know."

"Oh?"

"Yep!" she replied merrily. "You know Shikamaru Nara? He's my half brother."

"I see. So then you're Sakura Nara?"

Sakura shook her head. "Actually know. _Half_ brother, silly! I have my mother's surname." Sasuke nodded and then stopped looking around when he saw the flowers that he liked. They were small and fully bloomed with white petals. "Ah, so he picks the gardenias. Cute choice, in my opinion since they're really pretty."

Sasuke nodded again.

"Hn…"

"Would you like a bouquet?"

(That was obviously rhetorical.)

Sasuke went over to the front counter as she had instructed him to. From his spot, he watched as she gently pulled out the better looking flowers of the delicate bunch, carefully laying the stems in the crook of her elbow. After gathering a fair bunch, she went back to the counter and set them down.

"Do you know their message?" she asked rhetorically while laying the flowers on a sheet of white of tissue paper that was over some cellophane. "Gardenias represent a secret love, or sweet love. They mean joy. They mean 'good luck' or 'you're lovely'. The gardenias are very beautiful, wouldn't you agree, Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn."

She smiled at him before turning around to take out some ribbon.

"So who are these for?" Sakura inquired, trying to make some conversation. "Oh right, how could I forget? You have a girlfriend—"

"They're for my mother."

"Oh."

"It's her birthday today, and according to my father, gardenias are her favorite flowers," Sasuke explained with a triumphant smirk on his lips. He thought it was kind of nice to be seeing Sakura, for once, without anything to say with that smartass mouth of hers. "They're not for Karin."

"I see…"

Sasuke frowned at the odd look on her face as he gave her his credit card.

"Hm, well would you like to buy your girlfriends some flowers too? The second bouquet is half off—"

It was then that Sasuke noticed their habit of cutting each other off in the middle of perceived denial, first with his depression, now with her obsession with him having a girlfriend. Sasuke wound his long fingers through the silkiness that was Sakura's hair while brining their heads closer together and joining their lips. Her tongue peaked out shyly and he opened his mouth, bringing the kiss to the next level of what was French.

They finally pulled away when the cash register suddenly popped open.

Sakura chewed on her lip awkwardly and turned around to get his card and receipt. She shoved them in his face and put a big smile on after circling the final price and writing something.

"Thank you for shopping at the Yamanaka Flower Shop! Please come again…!"

Immediately, Sakura ran into the back room and Sasuke left the shop.

& -

"Happy birthday mom," Sasuke said, giving her the flowers. "I can't stay for dinner, sorry, but I promise I'll come over this weekend."

Mikoto pouted at her son and pinched his cheek. "Aw but Sasu-chan—" He cringed, "—it's my birthday!" She sighed. "Well alright, but I expect you to be staying here with us this weekend and not at your dorm, alright? And bring Naruto along too, we miss him—"

He stopped listening when he glimpsed at the gardenias and thought of Sakura.

It was wrong. He was in a relationship and he had only spoken to the girl _twice_, but it felt right whenever their eyes met and their lips touched—

Oh god.

What was _wrong _with him?

"Hn…"

"—and then—"

Mikoto blinked when she noticed Sasuke no longer paying attention to her. A small smile made its way onto her face at the dazed expression he held and the glazed over look in his dark eyes. She knew what was wrong with him.

Or perhaps what was right?

"Sasu-chan…" she drawled, knowing how much he _hated_ being called that. "Did you meet a girl?"

"_No_!"

-

-

_MORE RANDOM._

_I had pumpkin pie. It was _awesome_. Yeah._


	6. don't let the bed bugs bite

**Title: **don't let the bed bugs bite**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#24 good night  
**Word Count: **728**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

So the instructions said there just needs to be a kiss, therefore this kiss isn't a romantic one, okay?

-

-

(Lucky brat.)

Sasuke frowns from his place at the doorframe of his son's room and decides that the boy is immensely spoiled by his mother and needs a bit of a wake up call.

"Sakura," he calls.

His wife glances up from the storybook in her hand and looks at him curiously.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun?"

Sakura is twenty-five and still, she remains calling him what she did back when they were children. Her pink hair is long once again because she likes it that way and her green eyes sparkle more, reflecting her happiness. Why wouldn't she be happy? All her dreams have come true.

She is married to the love of her life.

She is a successful kunoichi.

She is a mother of two (though one who is still on the way).

"Let's go to bed," he says.

The words come out through a voice that is a cross between a childish whine and a demand. There is a small (jealous) pout on his face that makes Sakura want to pinch his cheeks and mock him for acting like such a baby who isn't getting as much attention as he'd like.

Sakura shakes her head.

"You can go now Sasuke-kun. I'm still reading to Satoshi-chan."

The child nods and Sasuke notices just _how _similar looking the father and son are.

"Yeah, mommy is staying with _me_."

Satoshi smirks and Sasuke glares but Sakura doesn't notice.

(Oh no the boy did _not_.)

"Hn."

Sasuke saves face and moves away from the door. He stands on the side and decides to wait until Sakura walks out.

(The boy got the attention during the day, fine, Sasuke understood that. His son was still four-years-old and he needed guidance from his parents, and thus, Satoshi was basically stuck onto Sakura during the day. But at night…

Well at night, Sakura was supposed to stop being Satoshi's mother and start being Sasuke's _wife_.

_Damnit_.)

"Mommy, can you stay with me tonight please?"

Sasuke's eyes widen at the question and he then knew that the boy knew he was outside of the bedroom.

"Satoshi-chan—"

"_Please_ mommy! I had a nightmare last night when I stayed with Kaka-jiji because you and daddy were on a mission."

Sasuke narrows his eyes suspiciously.

(Kakashi said that Satoshi didn't sleep _at all_ because he _accidentally_ gave the boy some candy.)

"I don't want you to leave me!"

The elder Uchiha hears an 'aw' noise and he knows for sure that the little boy managed to get Sakura under his spell.

(Children were manipulative like that.)

"I—I… Oh…" Sakura sighs. "Satoshi-chan, you're a big boy now you know."

"I know mommy. And I'm strong too!"

Sasuke rolls his eyes.

(He wonders if he was ever that arrogant because Sakura never was so the boy _had_ to have gotten it from him…)

"Then Satoshi-chan, if you're a strong boy like you say, shouldn't you be able to protect yourself?"

"Oh…"

Sasuke smirks.

(Sucker.)

"Besides," Sakura continues. "You're going to have a baby brother soon, remember? You're gonna have to get stronger by facing your fears so you can protect _him_ when he's scared."

"Oh."

Sasuke smiles triumphantly.

(_He_ was the one who was supposed to sleep with Sakura!)

Knowing that he's won, Sasuke leans back on the doorframe again to look into his son's room. Sakura is leaning over the boy, tucking him in under his blankets and brushing the dark hair out of his face to look into his clear green eyes.

"Good night mommy!" Satoshi says sweetly. "It's okay now. I'm a strong boy so I can fight off any nightmares!"

His mother nods sagely. "That's good Satoshi-chan," She gives him a wink and tilts her head in the direction of the door, "because your daddy _can't_." Sakura lowers her voice slightly to a mocking whisper but he can still hear her. "That's why daddy always wants to sleep with mommy."

Sasuke scowls.

(Did she just call him _weak_?!)

Sakura bends over and kisses the boy on the forehead.

"Good night."

Sakura turns off the light, closes the door and then steps out of the room. She smiles when she sees Sasuke's frowning face and pats him on the cheek.

"Aw, stop being a baby. You know you want to sleep with me."

Sasuke rolls his eyes as they walk to their own bedroom.

(Well _duh_.)

-

-

_Because Sasuke is an attention whore and he can't even share Sakura with his kid._


	7. well HEY, my dress matches you tie

**Title:** well HEY, my dress matches your tie**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#19 red  
**Word Count: **525  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

It started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this?

-

-

"Well, well, would you look who it is?"

Sasuke froze because _he knew that voice_. The Uchiha stiffened even further when _that girl_ reached past him to get a mini-éclair off of the dessert table. Gracelessly (what the hell) _Sakura_ shoved it in her mouth while smiling at him.

"Now Sasuke-kun, you can't quite tell me I'm stalking you this time because the fact is, my father owns these acres of land called the Konoha Country Club," she said smartly with a smug grin. "This time, I can say for _sure_ that _you_ are stalking _me_."

He said all her could manage.

"Shut up."

(Pathetic.)

"My parents are members here."

"Sure they are…" she said patronizingly.

She began to walk away and for some reason, he followed.

"Nice dress…"

He didn't mean to compliment her, he was just being _polite_.

Sakura grinned at him and did a twirl in the red cocktail dress. It was a simple crimson slip dress that shined under the dim light of the chandelier above them. Her hair was left down and her makeup, nude. She looked beautiful.

(Not that he'd admit it or anything.)

"It goes with your tie," Sakura pointed out, pulling on the satin material wrapped around his neck. She placed the bottom of it against the top of her dress to compare their colors. "See? They're exactly the same!"

She lets go and takes a step back, proceeding to walk away, and ending up on the terrace that was rather empty.

"We match, Sasuke-kun."

Sakura turned her head and tilted it in the direction of she who is to one day becoming Mrs. Sasuke Uchiha, who was talking with others inside the large hall.

"Unlike _she who is wearing lilac_."

She smirked at the weird look on Sasuke's face.

"Although, I _do_ like her dress."

Sasuke knew what Karin is wearing only because he was forced by his father to pick her up.

"Aa, she looks okay."

Sakura looked back at him and smiled with a childlike curiosity in her eyes.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun, do _I_ look okay?"

He shrugged. "I already said I like your dress."

A waiter passed by holding glasses of champagne (the free drinks), offering them to the pair (not couple). Free drinks were one of the only reasons why Sasuke came to these charity dinners at the Konoha Country Club. Well that and the fact that his parents make him. Sasuke took a glass, as did Sakura who slowly sipped on the contents. According to Naruto, Sakura's university, the U of K was a so-called party school, so Sasuke somewhat expected her to chug the drink down.

"I'm glad you like my dress Sasuke-kun, but I'd be even gladder to hear that you like _me_."

Sakura grabbed his arm, holding it firmly and Sasuke couldn't help but notice how nice the feel of her touch was.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

Sasuke shook his head after a moment.

"No."

Her smile faltered for a second but then she shrugged.

Sakura looked him in the eyes before pressing her lips against his for a short kiss

"That's a pity then."

-

-

_Um, NO the random is NOT over…_


	8. there are other options you know

**Title: **there are other options you know**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#26 if only I could make you mine  
**Word Count: **581**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

The Ocean, The Bravery: The ghost of you asking me why, _why did I leave_?

-

-

The moon is full tonight.

It shines but a cloud passes in front of it, making things darker.

"I'm not _stupid_," she hisses brokenly.

And for once, Naruto is right.

You really _are_ a bastard.

"I _know_ you're leaving."

It's over.

You're a jerk and you're a user and you're an asshole and you're ungrateful—

"Aa."

—And you _don't deserve her_.

You used Kakashi to teach you the Chidori.

You used Naruto to test your developments.

You used Orochimaru to make you stronger.

You used Karin to track the brother who was still better.

You used Suigetsu to help your failure to defeat him.

You used Juugo to learn more about your Cursed Seal.

And you used _her_ to ensure you an heir.

You're about to leave her. You're aware of that right? You're choosing your hate over your love. Or perhaps it isn't love if you find it so easy to leave her behind broken and alone—and _pregnant_—to continue to pursue the brother who left _you_ broken and alone.

The two of you stand in the same place you did seven years ago before you healed her after leaving her broken and alone. She's not crying this time but you can see her doing so and _dying_ by the second on the inside as you stare back into her reflective green eyes apathetically.

"You're an avenger…"

Her voice is low and you don't know what to say.

"You're an asshole, but you're an avenger. Itachi killed your family and you're an avenger and I know that there is nothing that can change that except seeing him dead by your hands."

You nod.

"Aa."

Sakura chuckles bitterly while regarding you with a hurt expression on her face. Her eyes no longer water because she's already cried _enough_ over you.

She does _not_ deserve this.

"It's okay Sasuke-kun," she murmurs. She raises a hand and places it against your cheek. Apparently a tear fell from you when none could come from her. She wipes away the lone droplet and forces herself to smile like she's been doing the past seven years. "I know that there is _nothing_ I can do to make you choose me over Itachi."

You press your face into her warm, comforting touch and she immediately rips her hand away.

"Nothing."

You make no reply.

"I can't get you to pick_ me_ no matter how many times I tell you I love."

You wish she'd tell you just one more time because you're so sure you'll never hear it again.

"No attempt at showing you affection."

You want her to hold you just one more time but you know she won't since she couldn't bear to touch you.

Sakura laughs resentfully and gives you an indignant smile.

"Not even letting you get me knocked up."

The cloud passes by and there is light again, shining on her as for once, _she_ walks away from you.

You are a bastard.

You're a jerk and you're a user and you're an asshole and you're ungrateful and you don't deserve her.

You're manipulative.

You _kissed_ her.

You _lied_ to her.

You whispered sweet, sweet nothings into her ear and you claimed her as yours. You made her think that you really, _really_ love her the exact same way that she really, _really_ loves you when the reality of it all was that you _are a user_.

"I'll come back," you mutter but you know she can't hear you.

It's over.

-

-

_I wanted semi-angst._


	9. so there were a few things left unsaid

**Title: **so there were a few things left unsaid**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#2 news; letter  
**Word Count: **255**  
Warning(s): **revenge extraction (character death)  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

Fall asleep all alone. Hear your voice in the dark…

-

-

Dear Sasuke-kun,

Can you _believe_ that Tsunade-shishou thinks that writing you letters (which will never be read) is supposedly healthy?

What good does it do?

You're dead.

You're gone.

You know why?

Because you're a fucking idiot.

Because you couldn't let go of one stupid, _stupid_ dream.

Because you just _had_ to go after your damn brother.

I understand wanting closure but do you not realize what you've left behind? So many people mourn you. Maybe it would've been best if you never came back and fixed all those bonds because hey, if you hadn't, then we wouldn't all be crying over you.

Your sons miss you.

Hell, your daughter (I just found out about her) is never going to meet you.

_I_ miss you, you selfish jerk.

You promised me that you'd be around.

You said that you'd never leave me again. Do you fucking remember that?

We were seventeen and you were _trying_ to work on your dating skills because one day you would need a wife (so you could restore your clan. Which you did—how the hell are your kids going to learn about the fucking Sharingan _now_ you prick? What, _Kakashi-senpai_?!).

I asked you if you would leave me again and you kissed me softly and you wiped away my tears and _you said_ _you would not_.

You said you were here to stay.

You're a liar Sasuke-kun and I hate you.

Well no.

I love you.

(Duh.)

I hate you for dying is all.

You fucker.

Love always,  
Sakura

-

-

_Hmph. Okay next WILL be happy/witty/fun. I shall continue with the AU-storyline that I am having too much fun with SO FRET NOT._


	10. who's the annoying one NOW bitch!

**Title: **who's the annoying one NOW bitch?!**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#10 #10  
**Word Count: **933**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

-

-

Sasuke barged into the Yamanaka Flower Shop with only the urge to find _that girl_ on his mind.

It had been three weeks.

Three weeks since he saw her in that stunning red dress that matched his tie. Three weeks their last kiss at the charity dinner that took place at the Konoha Country Club. Three weeks since the night that she asked him whether or not he believed in love at first sight and he said no.

Three weeks—

Ugh.

Three weeks.

And in those three weeks, all Sasuke could manage to focus on was Sakura.

Or the lack her.

Usually they bumped into each other _everywhere_ but now…

Now he had no idea where to find her.

"You!"

This time he was lucky though.

Sasuke stepped towards to the cashier who was finishing up some homework on the counter since no customers were in the store at the moment.

She looked up from behind the thick-rimmed glasses she was donning.

"Me?"

Sakura sat up straight and removed her red glasses. She got off of her stool and smiled professionally.

"Hello Uchiha-san. How may I be of service—"

"You don't even know me!" he yelled. "You can't _possibly_ be in love with me after three kisses that weren't even kisses!"

Sakura blinked and her happy façade fell. She looked pained as she sat back down on her stool with Sasuke standing across from her on the other side of the counter. His brows were furrowed in frustration and he was chewing on his lip, Sakura observed.

"I know enough," Sakura replied calmly. She nodded and repeated herself, "I know _enough_."

"What, enough to think I'm someone to _love_—"

"I can give you ten facts."

Sasuke frowned.

"Excuse me?"

"I can give you ten good facts about you that explain why…" Sakura shook her head and then stared up at him pleadingly. "Why I _feel the way I do_."

He took a step back and paused for a moment.

"Fine."

"You're smart. I know this even though we have no classes together and our dormitories are on opposite sides of the campus. My brother has told me about the times he's worked with you and how you're not some leach who works with him because he's a genius. You're genuinely smart.

"You're a good leader. You look out for your team, even if it's _just a bloody goddamn sport_. You work hard to make some plans and such so that some of the load comes off for your coach and you make sure that everyone understands. You don't leave a man behind, as dramatic as that sounds.

"You care about your friends. You and your friend Naruto—who's name I only know because he shouted it while trying to sing karaoke, drunk—came to one of the parties at my dorm. The moron was drinking himself into a stupor but you made sure to drag him home when some friends would've just let him sleep there.

"You do what you can to please your parents. Come on Sasuke, the news about you marrying Karin is age old gossip to the ladies who are tanning at the Country Club. I've already heard that it's arranged. You obviously don't love her, but you're willing to marry her for them.

"You're funny. I know you think I'm crazy for saying that considering how you're all anti-smiles but the way you're _constantly_ in denial and look so impeccably cute when you're pouting just seems to make me smile. I can't help thinking you're hilarious as much as you can't help thinking I'm crazy.

"You're independent. Rather than constantly mooching off of your parents like most country club sons and daughters, you let yourself live at the dorms, and you're even working at Konoha General Hospital. Heh, who would've thought that _you_ would want to be a pediatrician?

"You're an amazingly good kisser. Hell, fine, I know that you think that this is _such_ a shitty point to be using, but hey, it's still something about you, right? But that just tells me that you're passionate and that you care about things and that you have feelings.

"You try to be loyal. You want to love Karin. You're trying. You're really, _really_ trying. You prove that you're putting at least _some_ effort into your relationship with her when you take her out on dates or at least escort her to those dumb dinners at the Country Club. You're really _trying_."

Sakura took a deep breath.

During the span of the time in which she spoke, both had unconsciously begun to lean over the counter and their faces were inches apart.

"And last, you're not perfect. You're human, as much as you try not to be. You make your mistakes and you have your faults. You kissed me three times. Maybe you only initiated one of the three but you always kissed back which is a horrible, _horrible_ thing to do."

Sasuke frowned.

"That was nine."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Number ten. You're so bloody _annoying_."

She looked back at him, and moved closer. She felt the warmth of his breath against her face and no longer felt like she could control herself. Boldly, she lifted herself onto her tiptoes and kissed him desperately, hoping that maybe, _just maybe_ he could feel the same way—

And _love_ her.

Sasuke pulled back first and rested his forehead against that of the girl he wanted but _barely even knew_.

"You've got to stop doing that," he muttered.

Sakura merely giggled and kissed him again.

He kissed her back.

-

-

_I think it's over. This storyline. Yeah, I guess. I kinda wanna make more though. Whatever._


	11. she’s gonna need a boat

**Title: **she's gonna need a boat if she has to cry anymore**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#21 violence; pillage/plunder; extortion  
**Word Count: **467**  
Warning: **Character Death**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

Because there was a quote I wanted to use: "Look at me! For once in your fucking life, look at me!"

-

-

She cries and you look impassive.

There's a chance that you might be sorry but you don't know so you don't bother to tell her.

Are you sorry?

'It was an accident,' you lie. 'They were too close and they needed to be dealt with,' you tell yourself. She and Naruto were too close and you needed to be rid of them before they managed to _manipulate_ you into going back with them. You only intended to wound Naruto to keep them at bay but…

You missed.

You miscalculated and now he's dying and now she's crying and now you're a bigger bastard than ever.

You're a monster.

A _monster_.

You let Orochimaru twist your feelings and you mind and your body and your morals and now _look at what you've become_. You're a monster with snakes and wings and dark, dark eyes and a sinister smile. You have no care and no remorse.

"You killed him."

You bastard.

Sakura's on her knees by Naruto's broken, bleeding body, staring at you with an emotion she's never stared at you with before that you just know is disgust. Her hands are bloody and her eyes are wide open but shut. Sakura sobs once more and brushes Naruto's blond hair away from his paling face.

She presses her lips against his cold forehead to kiss away the pain and the fear and the regret and say goodbye.

"You killed him," she repeats.

Sakura stands up and her fists clench.

"_You killed him_!" Sakura hisses furiously.

Her eyes narrow, causing the tears to spill. She stomps closer to you and grabs the front of your dirtied shirt. You turn your head to the side because you can't bear to look at her crying face, only to be plagued with sight of your dead best friend, although perhaps he isn't your best friend if you could kill him so easily.

"Look at me!" she screams. "You killed Naruto!"

You don't look at her but you look at Naruto who you killed.

Sakura recoils and then shakes you with a strength you never thought she could ever possess.

"_Damnit_, look at me Sasuke!" Sakura repeats loudly. "For once in your fucking life, _look at me_!"

And you do.

The heart you never knew you had breaks at the sight of her leaning into your chest while crying because you took away one of the most important people in her life. Her sobs vibrate against your newly discovered heart and her tears soak your skin while she wrinkles your clothes from holding you to tightly.

Awkwardly and unsurely, you put an arm around her.

You find yourself wishing that she would kiss _you_.

You wish that she would kiss away the pain and the fear and the regret.

And just say goodbye.

-

-

_I feel like tacos._


	12. where for art thou juliet?

**Title:** where for art thou JULIET?**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#15 perfect blue  
**Word Count: **605**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

So this AU storyline has no consistent attribute to it, in case you haven't noticed. They're all pretty random and weird.

-

-

"This is cliché-ly weird and cheesy."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and dipped the roller back into the paint.

It had been three years since he left his family (for love).

He remembered when he marched up to his father's office (while dragging an uncomfortable Sakura behind) to tell him that he _refused_ to marry Karin because she as annoying and loud and he really didn't like her.

(Sakura poked him in the ribs, her way of saying that he forgot out the part about him being _also madly in love with a crazy, pink-haired girl_.)

And then after a long few hours of incessant screaming and eardrum ripping, Sasuke stormed out saying that he didn't need them.

(Well he missed his mom…

Itachi he could do without, though.)

Sakura stirred the freshly cooked macaroni and cheese in the pot and then turned off the stove.

"Seriously though!" Sakura continued. She brought the pot, two bowls and two forks over to the table in Sasuke's newly (pink) painted kitchen and put it on the kitchen bar. "Our love story is just some screwy, modern-day version of Romeo and Juliet, just like, more happy and without the killing."

She smirked.

"Oh, and technically, you're Juliet, being the one with the fiancé and all…"

Sasuke glared at her and then put the roller down after finishing painting the living room that 'pretty shade of blue that was like the color of my room when I lived with my mommy before I went to University!' picked by Sakura for their new apartment.

They had both graduated from U of K the previous year. Sasuke, with his Bachelor's Degree in Science was going to begin at Medical School in the fall. Sakura gained one in Arts for that MIT program she took and was now interning at a magazine. It was weird at first, their relationship. After that moment at the flower shop, as much as Sasuke tried to deny it, he _did_ feel something for Sakura and he just could _not_ make it go away.

"And like, my family doesn't hate you. Mommy adores you, Shika thinks you're cool and you're fun to play basketball with because hey, I suck at the game, my father thinks you're a"—Sakura smiles and laughs—"_formidable and worthy young man_, and my step mother likes you too, so I guess that part of it all gets downplayed by a half."

"My mother likes you," Sasuke reasoned. He frowned. "Liked…?"

With a small sigh, he rolled his eyes and squirted some ketchup over his macaroni and cheese, causing Sakura to cringe in disgust.

"And then I don't have some girl—since I'm the Romeo—who I was in love with prior to meeting you who ran off to become a nun… or um, a priest."

Sakura snorted and then shoved some of his tomato flavored macaroni into her mouth when she opened it to talk.

Sakura choked and spat it into her napkin.

"Ew, ew, _ew_!" Sakura glared at Sasuke who was smirking and slapped his arm. "You're such a _jerk_! God, sometimes I can't believe we're even together."

He snorted another time. "Don't I know the feeling…"

Sakura's mocking smile faded and she looked at Sasuke shyly.

Since he left his family, all money matters were on him (not that he couldn't already afford it). Sakura's father had no problem giving them money although the couple didn't like having to borrow it since it clashed with the independence.

"Do you ever regret leaving?" she asked quietly.

And in response to her question, Sasuke kissed her.

_What the hell do you think, dumbass?_

-

-

_Done…?_


	13. revenge tastes like candy

**Title: **it tastes like candy**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#16 invincible; unrivaled  
**Word Count: **176**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

-

-

The first thing Sakura does after healing Sasuke back into tiptop shape after returning to Konoha is not cry.

She does not jump on him or hug him.

She does not cradle his face gently and declare her love.

No.

She puts down the left over bandages, and throws off the rubber gloves.

She clenches her fists and glares at him like a truly scorned woman.

Then she punches him.

In retrospect, Sakura thinks it was the best thing she has ever done.

As Sasuke's nose bleeds profusely and Naruto and Kakashi stare at her wide-eyed as if she had gone in sane, all Sakura does is shake her hand which is in pain from hitting Sasuke so forcefully, and laugh so hard that her eyes begin to water.

"That was so…"

She needs to find the right word.

"_Fulfilling_!"

She feels amazing.

She is on top of the world.

She is _invincible. _

"I totally understand you now Sasuke-kun!"

Sakura giggles profusely and then presses a happy and sloppy kiss on Sasuke's cheek.

"Revenge _is_ sweet!"

-

-

_Because as much as we love him, we're all still dying to see Sakura punch him._


	14. here i come when i better go

**Title: **here i come when i better go**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#3 jolt!  
**Word Count: **476**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

I get around. Dragonette. Listen to it. Love it. Yes.

-

-

_Please don't tell me I one night stood Sasuke _again_…_

She squeezed her eyes and tried to ignore everything.

_Although then again if I keep doing this, they're not exactly _one_ night stands anymore._

Sakura sat up with a jolt, eyes wide, mouth agape and mind running.

_Aw _fuck.

She turned her head to the side and peeked out through groggy green eyes, only to see a certain someone still asleep with his face half buried in his pillow, and his body turned her direction.

_Ugh, _please_ don't wake up_

Her frown deepened when she noticed that she couldn't even blame this night's (morning's) bout of idiocy on alcohol or Naruto.

_I can blame it on Sasuke's jealousy._

Slowly, careful not to wake him up, she got off of the bed in his room and scanned the area for her clothes. Sakura grew annoyed when she noticed how her clothes were thrown in all directions of the room. Her panties were in the _doorway_ (to his room) damnit!

_That impatient bastard…_

Sakura picked up the black slip dress she wore the previous night. It was a bit crinkled and rather messy, but it would do.

_No, there's a tear on it!_

Finally dressed, Sakura ran her fingers through her hair to try taming it, and rubbed her eyes hoping to ease away some of the smudged makeup.

_It doesn't really matter if I look good or not since it's not like I'm trying to be impressive_.

Wordlessly, not even sparing Sasuke another glance, Sakura began walking to the doorway of his room to leave the house altogether and act like this never happened. Like the last dozen (plus some) times. It wasn't her fault she couldn't find it in her to _completely_ trust _Sasuke_ with a real relationship.

_Does the fact that I like screwing him but don't want to _be_ with him make me a slut?_

Whatever the hell was between she and Sasuke was messed up, in Sakura's opinion.

_We're _just_ friends with benefits._

Sakura stopped moving and leaned on the doorframe, watching Sasuke sleep.

_He looks so cute…_

She couldn't help but smile at the innocence on his (for once) unguarded face that gave her hope that maybe, just maybe, a _real_ relationship was possible for them. She raised her palm near her mouth and blew a kiss in his direction.

_I'm not ready to trust you with my heart again, but I promise I will be one day._

The facts that the tables were rather turned and that Sakura was in charge of things made her feel great. Sasuke was the one wanting her now and she was the one walking away every morning something like _that_ happened. Sakura snorted because the truth was that there so-called one night stands happened a lot.

_I say yes when I ought to say no._

-

-

_Another bout of randomness because I _love_ that song._


	15. forgiving and forgetting is overrated

**Title: **forgiving and forgetting is overrated**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#9 dash  
**Word Count: **682**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or Grey's Anatomy.

-

-

He loved the night.

Night was when she forgave him for breaking her heart into pieces and leaving her on a cold hard bench. Night was when she let down the walls that he caused her to build for a short moment to let him into her world. Night was when she—

Night was when she would allow herself to finally be _his_.

He hated the morning.

Morning was when she would wake up first. Morning was when she would slip away from him while he remained asleep and make a mad dash before he could find her. Morning was when she would simply blow him a kiss when she could just stay with him. Morning was when she—

Morning was when she would _runaway_.

Sasuke didn't sleep that night. He had merely watched her as she caught her breath and then slowly drifted into sleep.

He refused to fall asleep and shut off his sense and _let her leave again_.

The sound of her shuffling into her clothes and softly cursing caught his attention that morning.

He lifted his lids and watched as she ran her fingers through her hair quickly while trying to straighten out the red dress he had ripped off of her the night before.

"Don't leave."

She froze instantly but didn't look back at him, and as quickly as she stopped grooming herself to leave, she began again.

"Sakura—"

"I have to go to the hospital," she muttered, cutting him off.

He snorted bitterly.

"What to get a morning after pill?"

Sakura turned around and glared at him.

"I have work, you sorry bastard!" she spat angrily.

She was angry because he was awake, Sasuke mused. He was ruining her plans and constant routine of dashing away from him every morning. Sasuke sat up, the blanket covering the lower half of his body. He reached out to her and pulled her wrist. She tripped and fell onto the bed and onto _him_.

"Why do you runaway?" he asked in a whisper.

"What are you talking about—"

"Why do you always go?"

Her jaw clenched as if she were struggling to keep her words in.

What, did she suddenly care about how _he_ felt?

"You…" Her voice was lowered to a dark, angry, shaky and _tearful_ whisper. "You have no right to ask me not to leave you." Sakura fiercely ripped her wrist out of his grip. "Who the hell do you think you are Sasuke?! Do you honestly think I would just trust you with something so precious to me as my _heart_ after you broke it the first time?!"

He could do nothing but stare at her.

Her shoulders shook and she glared down.

"I want to marry you," she said quietly. "I want to have kids with you. I want to settle down and grow old with you. I want to die when I'm 110-years-old, in your arms. I don't want stupid one night stands, I want a lifetime. I want all of that. I want it one day."

"And we can have that—"

Sakura lifted her head and looked right through him.

"Forgive and forget," Sakura whispered. "That's what they say. It's good advice, but it's not very practical. When someone hurts us, we want to hurt them back. When someone wrongs us, we want to be right. Forgiveness isn't so bad, I guess. I haven't forgiven you, but I will. Without forgiveness, old scores are never settled, old wounds never heal."

She bit her lip.

"The most we can hope for is that one day, we'll be lucky enough to forget."

A single tear ran down her face but Sasuke didn't wipe it and neither did she.

"I'm trying, Sasuke…"

Slowly, Sasuke lifted his arms and wrapped them around her. He pulled her down into his embrace and kissed her softly on the forehead while she sobbed dryly in his arms because all she wanted was to forgive and forget but she just _couldn't_.

She _wouldn't_.

She was scared.

"Love me again," he whispered into her hair.

Another tear fell.

-

-

_I dunno. Interpret the end how you like. I'm not sure either. Whatever. Sasuke was naked the entire fic._

_Loves Grey's Anatomy!_


	16. wonderful, safe, comforting, etc

**Title: **wonderful, safe, comforting, warmth, _perfection_**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#6 the space between dream and reality  
**Word Count: **319**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

-

-

There is a space between dream and reality.

It is wonderful and safe and comforting and warm and—

Just so _perfect_.

And you only find it in the aftermath of sleeping with her.

—And when you're holding her tightly with her back pressed against your chest and your nose buried in her hair.

You know that she's hurting though, while you are rejoicing.

You know that while you gain your bliss as you bask in the wonderfulness and safety and comfort and warmth and _perfection_ from the afterglow of your copulation, she wants nothing more than to get your arms off of her and run away and wash herself and be _rid of you_—

—Because you don't love her.

"I love you," she whispers in her ever broken voice, as your lips trail down her neck and onto her chest while you thrust into her at a steady pace.

Her face contorts from expressions of pain and longing to pleasure and shame.

"I love you," she repeats when you both fall of your high and you hold her to find that space you look for between dream and reality.

With your head against her chest, you can hear the beat of her heart speeding up and you don't know if it's from happiness of being with you or from the pleasure you are giving to her or from the exceeding amount of stress from dealing with you all the time.

"I love you…"

And as you revel in the wonderfulness and safety and comfort and warmth and _perfection_ of this space between dream and reality, you kiss her neck once more and ignore the way you can hear her sniffling and the way you can feel her tears touch your arm after they run down her face—

You pray that maybe one day she can find your space of wonderfulness and safety and comfort and warmth and _perfection_, too.

-

-

_grey_


	17. well when you do it like that

**Title: **well when you do it like that**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#5 "ano sa" ("hey, you know...")  
**Word Count: **276**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

_Don't think into the situation (how they got to the place they are in). I didn't._

-

-

"I cannot _die_!"

Sakura paced back and forth, taking deep breaths and exhaling sharply.

Sasuke merely grunted, hoping it make her _shut the heck up_.

"I cannot die!" she repeated.

It wasn't like she was talking to him.

She wasn't.

"I'm only seventeen!" Sakura shrieked to no one in particular.

Sasuke let out an annoyed sigh from his place in the cell. He leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, trying hard to channel his frustration and annoyance into something more productive, for example, getting them the hell out there.

Sakura still wasn't done though.

"I have so much ahead of me!" she continued dramatically, whimpering in the process. "I haven't gotten married yet! I still haven't had kids! Oh my god, I haven't even had my first kiss!"

She gasped loudly after a moment of silence.

"I'm still a virgin!"

Sakura sniffled.

"Ugh—"

And suddenly Sakura's ranting stopped at the feel of Sasuke's warm lips against her own.

They stayed that way for a moment with one of his hands gripping her upper arm tightly to hold her in place while his other hand tangled itself into her pink locks.

Sakura's knees turned to jelly at the tingling feeling in her stomach and when Sasuke pulled away, she touched her lips tentatively while staring at the floor.

She wasn't blushing, but she still couldn't look at him.

With a huff, Sasuke turned his head smugly, his arms crossed again.

"There. Now you have your first kiss."

A smile pulled at Sakura's lips.

"Hey, you know…"

Her eyes flash predatorily with mischievousness written all over her face.

"I _am_ still a virgin."

Sasuke smirked.

-

-

_And now your imagination runs wild…_


	18. daddy dearest

**Title: **daddy dearest**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#27 overflow  
**Word Count: **834**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

_Erm, I guess this is a bit of an alternate time line ish._

…

…

Sakura never had a father.

She muses that that is the reason why she clings onto the men in her life. She thinks that she sticks to them because there hadn't been a male figure in her life since she was five and she needs _someone,_ anyone, to fill the void. Her mother had had boyfriends and fiancés but no one ever stuck around to become Sakura's father.

As she holds the child, she thinks of _his_ father.

She pities him because she knows what it's like not to have one.

She cradles the little bundle in her arms, smiling down at the child tenderly. Her bright green eyes glitter and her happy grin widens along the pinkness of her lips when the little boy grips the finger she uses to softly pat his button nose.

"Such a good boy," she coos, lowering her head to kiss him on the forehead.

The child gurgles giddily and her smile grows.

The seventeen-year-old glances up when she hears a shifting of bed sheets and her smile slowly starts to disappear when the inhabitant of the hospital bed begins to sit up.

"Sasuke-kun," she murmurs nervously, holding the dark-haired toddler protectively to her chest. "You're awake."

He nods slightly.

He finally opens his eyes to look at her and he visibly flinches at the sight of the baby.

It takes a moment for him to speak.

"Is it…" Sasuke swallows nervously. "Is it _his_?"

Sakura pauses and stares down at the baby sadly.

His pale face is framed by short locks of ebony, and his glittering eyes are as dark as the night sky. She fears one day they will grow to become like his father's and twist into the sickening, killer red. He is tiny for a little boy of probably eight-months, and Sakura thinks he fits in her arms perfectly.

"Yes," she replies slowly. "The baby is your brother's. We found him in another room of the hideout, crying."

There is an overflow of emotions within him as he observes her tending to the baby's needs.

He is fulfilled because his revenge is completed and empty because Itachi is gone and content because he is safe and dejected because he is back in Konoha and guilty because—

He is no better than Itachi, stealing away families from those who were innocent.

"How old is he?" Sasuke asks quietly.

Sakura stands up from the chair by his bedside, lifting the child with her, and begins to burp him after tossing a towel over her shoulder. She pats his back while swaying slightly.

"About eight months," she observes, glancing at the baby again. "I think."

"I was eight," he murmurs as he glares down at the sheets and his hands clench over his bed sheets and he feels even guiltier, "eight-years-old, when he…"

Sakura nods and he knows she understands.

When the baby is sated and he curls in her arms and begins to drift off to sleep, she sits down on the side of the bed.

He grows uncomfortable and he isn't sure if it's because of her presence or the baby's.

"What now?" she asks, shifting slightly so he can _see_ the child. "What happens to him—"

"I will take him."

His voice is firm and confident and he is sure that he can make it up to the child for ridding him of his father even though said father was the scum of the earth, and that firmness and confidence falters when she raises a fine pink eyebrow and recoils somewhat, clutching the baby protectively.

Sasuke frowns at her.

"_What_?" he hisses.

And then she giggles.

And doesn't stop.

"S—Sorry!" she muffles out through her laughter. "It's just… Well… I mean, _you_ as a parent, is just so… so…"

She drifts off into even more gleeful chortles and Sasuke flushes slightly.

"I'm serious."

She stops laughing and looks at him. She purses her lips thoughtfully before extending her arms out, offering him the baby.

"Hold him," she says.

Carefully and unsurely, he tries to listen to her, but finds himself overflowing again on the inside because he is confused and nervous and almost _afraid_ since now the baby is crying and thrashing and most certainly does _not_ like him as much as he likes Sakura.

She immediately leans over and brushes the baby's face and whispers sweet words and Sasuke sighs to himself.

"I think I might need your help with this," he mutters with annoyance because he hates having to get help from others.

"Alright," Sakura says as she smiles and nods. "I can do that."

As she teaches him how to properly hold a child to prevent the tears and he intently listens, the baby gurgles contentedly.

And as Sasuke holds the baby the right way and it grins widely and grips his shirt tightly, Sakura smiles at the scene and takes back her pity because while he may have lost his real father, he had gained a new one.

…

**EDIT:** I'm sorry. This one was confusing. Baby was Itachi's and someone's, not Sakura's.


	19. don't say a word

**Title: **don't say a word  
** Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#22 cradle  
**Word Count: **855**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

-

-

She's tired.

And when she's tired (her prettier word for _stressed_) she finds that watching the babies calms her.

Every time, whenever something goes wrong at the hospital -- when she loses a patient or has to break it to them that they will be lost -- or whenever she's gotten into a fight with her father over _him_, or whenever she has trouble learning a new lesson from her master, or whenever--

Whenever.

She finds watching the newborns as they watch everything in wonder, to be a wonder in itself.

_They're beautiful_, Sakura muses, leaning against the glass, slightly.

She wants a baby.

One day.

Hopefully soon, while she knows that her uterus is still healthy and capable of having one.

Sakura's gaze on the cradle right in front of her that is acting as a temporary bed to a little boy with soft black hair and whose eyelids are slowly fluttering, doesn't move, even when she feels the presence of another person beside her.

"Sakura--"

"Shut up."

The little boy's eyelids lift, revealing to Sakura a dark shade of green, like the trees in the forest that she often trains in. She wonders if that was the color _her_ eyes used to be when her life was still so easy. When all she had to was eat, sleep and of course breathe. When she could be as selfish as she wanted to be and there were no people. There were no people to heal, no people to kill, no people to comfort, no people to cry over, no people to _love._

She frowns and hopes that the little boy's eyes stay the same and they do not change. Sakura doesn't want the little boy to have eyes like her own that see people die, or that see people hurt, or that see people cry, or that see people slowly, slowly break and die bit by bit on the inside while be rejected over and over again.

She's tired.

"If we had a son, he'd probably look like that."

Sakura blinks and is no longer tired, the one sentence from her companion _waking her up._

"W--What?" Sakura stammers, hoping that he'd tell her he never said anything and she was imagining things.

He is looking at the same baby boy, the one with the black hair and the green eyes that should stay the same shade of green that they are now.

The watching of the babies is slowly losing its affect of calming her and Sakura blames Sasuke.

"Hurting you has never been my intention."

Sakura holds in the snort she wants so badly to let out. She holds it in because it is what's ladylike and what's polite and because it isn't often that Sasuke speaks. She fears that if any sound is made (even if their future son look-alike cries), Sasuke will immediately close himself off.

She nods.

Other than snorting, she wants to talk. She wants to yell at him and hit him but such commotion may wake the babies and Sakura cares more about them. One of the first scenes in life that they see most certainly should not be a couple (is it right to call them a couple? They're not together -- 'pair' seems more suiting) fighting and shouting. Violence and vulgarity shouldn't be the first things etched into their delicate minds.

Sakura wants to tell him that whether or not hurting her wasn't his intention, he did it, and he's been damn well doing it since, what, they were _twelve_?

She nods again.

"And I'm sorry if I have."

"If?" She winces when the one word slips out in a bitter his. Sasuke frowns and Sakura feels a bit guilty for sounding so angry. "Sorry."

"No," he says quietly. "You shouldn't be sorry."

She shakes her head. "Alright... You're right, I shouldn't be."

They continue to watch the little boy.

"I'm _not_ sorry."

"What I said..." Sasuke begins. He is quiet and slow and so, so unsure of just _what_ to say. He's never been much of a speaker. "It came out wrong, Sakura--"

"Actually, Sasuke, I think it came out _right_," she shoots back. Sakura places her hand against the glass and leans over a slight bit while a small (sad) smile forms on her cherry lips. "So, so right..."

She turns her head and _looks_ at him.

"You were being honest, Sasuke. I shouldn't have expected you to lie to me and make things sound better."

"Sakura--"

"One day," she murmurs almost brokenly, taking a step forward to be standing right in front of him, inches away from touching. She can feel his warmth and it takes all of her willpower not to crumple up and fall into him. "One day," she repeats slowly. "One day, you're going to realize how much I mean to you -- how much you _need_ me. One day, you're going to look for me."

She smiles sadly.

"And I'm not going to be there."

He remains motionless and she uses the opportunity to stand on her toes and press her lips against his in a final goodbye.

Because she's tired.

And now she's done.


	20. you are my sunshine

**Title: **you are my sunshine**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#29 the sound of waves  
**Word Count: **249**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

Well I wrote this a while ago, when 387 was still fresh…

* * *

The world is black.

He cannot see her and he cannot see anything at all.

All he can do is hear

(_her voice_)

and smell

(_her scent_)

and taste

(_her flavor_)

and feel

(_her touch_)

as her arms snake around his torso and her lips flutter across the back of his neck and she unintentionally brushes them across the cursed seal.

He hates Itachi because he takes _everything_. The fucking bastard is like a bloody parasite, taking and taking and taking

(_family, pride, dignity, _sight)

everything from him and leaving him bitter and broken and blind.

He would have glared at her for getting to close, if it were possible for him to do so, but at that moment all he could do was smell the fresh air around them, and hear the sound of water from the river nearby sloshing back and forth, and feel an emptiness in his head like no other

(_where are my eyes?_)

while tasting a bitterness in his mouth that probably wasn't even there.

She remains behind him but he doesn't turn around

(_it's not like I can see you anyway_).

His sensitive ears pick up the sound of her even breaths and his skin tingles when the warmth of them brushes against him. She runs her hands along his torso and he flinches but doesn't try to get away because her touch is soothing and calming and reassuring

(_will you be my light_?)

so he stills and hopes she doesn't let go.


	21. hey there, sakura

**Title: **hey there, sakura! **  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#7 superstar  
**Word Count: **639**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto, _Creep_ is by Radiohead, and _Hey There, Delilah_ is by Plain White T's.

* * *

As she sat quietly in the back of the music room, doing her math homework and listening to him playing his guitar, she thought for a moment that if he knew she was in there at the same time as he was, he would probably think she was once again, a stalker, or worse, one of his infamous _fangirls_.

She had been doing this for a bit of a while now.

Three weeks.

For three weeks, after school, she would go to the music room and sit in the back corner by the window. For the first half hour, she would either enjoy the quaint silence or listen to her iPod, and then when Sasuke later arrived after talking to Naruto for a bit after school, she would simply listen to him. He would never notice her, she being hidden by the grand piano by where she sat. He would simply go over to sit on the edge of the small stage and play his music.

Always.

Everyday.

Everyday for the past three weeks since school started.

Sakura hummed lightly when she listened to the song she played. Under her breath, as she drew parabolas and shifted and stretched them, she mumbled the words.

Her murmurs of the lyrics to _Creep_ came to an abrupt end when the music stopped.

"Who's there?"

She jumped at the sight of his loud voice and accidentally knocked over her math textbook.

She leaned over her seat to pick up the book, and when she sat back up, she was greeted by the sight of Sasuke Uchiha glaring down at her with his acoustic guitar in one hand.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, scowling.

"Homework," she replied nonchalantly. "And relaxing."

There was a red flush on his cheeks that made her laugh lightly under her breath. He looked as though he had just kissed someone with the tinge on his pale face and the nervousness in his dark eyes. He went between glaring at her and staring at the ground uneasily.

She smiled up at him. "Gosh, Sasuke, all I did was hear you play, calm down."

He stared at her for a moment before shrugging and the taking a seat next to her.

It felt oddly calming for the makeshift superstar to be sitting next to her on the bench as she did her homework by the music room window. The sunlight from the September sky brightened the place up, creating a cozy atmosphere. Sasuke turned around and leaned against the table, slouching.

"Hey, Sasuke, wanna be awesome for a few minutes?" she asked brightly.

"I'm always awesome," he muttered.

Sakura snorted at the lame joke.

"What do you want?"

"Play something for me," she murmured.

He looked at her over his shoulder but she didn't meet his eyes. "What?"

"Um, how's about _Hey There, Delilah_?" she suggested. Sakura brought the pencil up to her lips and chewed on the eraser at the end. "Just like, why not switch around the words and—"

"I am _not_ going to sing it 'Hey There, Sakura'," he stated dryly, looking down at the metal strings of the guitar as he played a few chords.

She frowned and then put the pencil on the table.

"But, Sasu—"

"No."

"Come on—"

"No."

"Please—"

"No."

She lifted her legs up and knelt down on the bench, leaning over Sasuke, putting her arms on one of his shoulders and pressing her weight against him. When Sasuke glanced up at her, she was hovering, a pout on her delicate face. Her lower lip stuck out slightly and she batted her eyelashes at him.

"_Please_, Sasuke-kun?" she pleaded, tracing a random pattern along his upper arm.

And so, he gave in and she fell in love with his rendition of the most romantic song ever.


	22. monster, monster!

**Title: **monster, monster!**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#8 our own world  
**Word Count: **621**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Or Frankenstein.

…

…

When she sees him approaching her, she is surprised but does not show it.

(_hello, stranger…_)

Their eyes meet but she merely smiles at him politely and walks into the bookstore she was aiming to go to before seeing him. She remains in the store for almost and hour and leaves with the purchase of a novel she once read as a child.

It's a fictional book about ambition and revenge.

(_and the repercussions! and the repercussions!_)

She steps out of the bookstore and begins to walk to the bench nearby.

(_oh, well we have some fond memories together, now don't we?_)

She feels him watching her but ignores his presence.

Her book, Frankenstein, Sakura thinks, is almost like Sasuke's life, but she has trouble deciding whether he is the creator or the monster.

He jumps down from the tree he was watching her from, landing in front of her. She spares him a glance and a nod and he takes it as an invitation to join her on the park bench. She observes him for a moment, noting that he really didn't look that different from the last time she saw him half-dead after his battle with Itachi.

He is the monster.

Itachi created him from the corpses of others

(_in Sasuke's case, this is a metaphor_)

and turned him into a monster. He shaped him into something inhumane and on the verge of becoming an instrument of evil.

"What are you reading?"

Sakura looks up from the pages to see her old companion. Part of her wants to ask what he is doing there, another wants to kiss him and hold him close, but the stronger part is telling her that she should just ignore his presence as much as she can.

"Frankenstein," she replies, turning the page

(_I may die; but first you, my tyrant and tormentor, shall curse the sun that gazes on your misery. Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful."_)

and reading further.

Definitely the monster.

"Hn," he replies. "What is it about?"

Sakura snaps the novel shut with a dull bang, putting it between them. She crosses one leg over the other and turns her head slightly but barely to look at him.

"A doctor, driven by the desire to create new life in a different way, but instead, creates a monster," she explains. "He becomes terrified of the monster, and thus rejects him. When the monster runs off to try and be with the rest of the world, he is rejected by everyone, and thus becomes resentful towards human kind."

She waves a hand.

"It's about ambition, really," Sakura says with a shrug. "It's the main theme."

"Oh?"

"Yes." Sakura smiles at him bitterly. "About the _downfalls_ of ambition."

He raises an eyebrow at her, asking her to elaborate.

"You see," she continues. "Eventually, the monster goes back to Frankenstein and demands that as his creator, Frankenstein must create a companion for him, a woman. Eventually, he agrees, but while creating a second monster, Frankenstein grows fearful and decides to destroy it."

Sasuke nods, concealing his interest. "And what does the monster do about it?"

"He becomes furious," she answers. "The monster is resentful and wants _revenge_."

Sakura leans back against the wall behind her.

"What are you trying to say?"

"Frankenstein is no better than the monster."

Sasuke's eyes narrow at her accusation.

"Both of them just hurt each other and took away the people they cared about, or could have cared about."

Sakura shrugs.

"They're both monsters in their own right."

Sakura sighs and glances at the book on the bench but does not move to retrieve it, before she stands.

She then walks away, leaving

(_monster! MONSTER!_)

Sasuke behind.


	23. still an avenger

**Title: **still an avenger…**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#20 the road home  
**Word Count: **600**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

So yes: Sasuke in his new outfit? Smexilicious, baby—although then again, he's hot on default… And Itachi is amazing.

-

-

So you stare down at the waves – wishing and washing – as they run up against the shore and the high rocks you stand on. Your eyes are blank and your face is rather expressionless. Your lips have loosened and lost your permanent – although not quite permanent because if it were permanent then it would still be there – frown and now they form a simple and straight line.

You're still an Avenger.

The only difference is that now you've lost any credibility in the whole justice-bringing department since as usual, your

(caring, caring, _caring_)

brother had to up you on that one. Sure, his intentions were for you to feel fulfilled, thinking you killed the man who murdered your entire family, but now you're just the man who killed the man who murdered your entire family

(of… criminals?)

but still saved you

(and made you stronger, and protected you, and gave you a reason to go on, and—)

from Orochimaru

(your mistake),

from Madara

(your… family?),

and from Konoha

(your _home_).

You're still an Avenger.

You remember the things that Madara had told you and try to pick and choose at the words but end up hearing everything as a whole. Your brother was a bloody hero and you know it and it almost kills you inside because you killed him thinking you would be a hero but you are _not_ a hero.

Danzo. Koharu. Homura.

Your jaw tightens and you narrow your eyes at the sloshing waves.

You simply ignore the way the water is splashing higher and hitting you ever so slightly. It is cold and it is chilling against the bare skin of your chest but it's refreshing and it reminds you that you are still alive and most definitely with a purpose.

You're still an Avenger.

You close your eyes and for a moment

(just a moment, just a moment, just a moment)

you let yourself wonder about the things that could have been

(could have been, should have been,_ would have been_)

if everything had gone according to all of your plans, and you had not learned the truth about your brother and your family and your village, and you had simply gone back to Konoha

(to make things right—although not right in the sense of killing the people who needed to be killed).

You would have served whatever punishment the Hokage

(and the _advisors_)

gave to you upon arrival.

Or perhaps you wouldn't have been punishment. Sure, you did leave which in all technicalities is treason, and sure, Konoha shinobi were hurt in the process of trying to retrieve you, but it wasn't like you _wanted_ them to. Besides, you did rid the damned village of two of its greatest traitors—

No.

You rid Konoha of _one_ of its greatest traitors.

Itachi was no traitor…

But you would have returned

(not that you're not because you will—just not as peacefully as you would have liked)

and you would have made things up to all the people that had helped you and risked their lives for you and were _precious_ to you.

You would have trained with Naruto and treated him to some ramen, and you would have resisted scowling when Kakashi patted you on the head or not give him that look of annoyance when he took out his stupid book, and you would have let Sakura be the one to hold you and kiss you and teach how to love all over again.

You would have fixed all the damage you caused, but you won't.

You can't.

You're still an Avenger.

-


	24. so what are you wearing?

**Title: **so what are you wearing?**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#23 candy  
**Word Count: **515**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

Banter. Pure banter.

…

…

"…Hello?"

"Hey, Sasucakes! I hope I didn't wake his highness up!"

"…You did."

"But muffin, it's 1:57 in the afternoon. Who sleeps that late?"

"I do, clearly. Or I did."

"Heh, always a joker!"

"Why are you so hyper?"

"Well, it's one of the kids' birthday today and there were lots of cupcakes."

"How many did you eat?"

"…One…four…five…times two…"

"Ten?"

"…Perhaps."

"Why am I not surprised?"

"Oh, because I love you, and you love me—no duh—ergo you know all—"

"Of your oh-so annoying traits? Yes, that's true."

"Hmph, ne Sasucakes, why are you so mean to me?"

"I'm not mean to you—"

"Yes you are!"

"—I'm just not _nice_ to you."

"…"

"Where are you?"

"On the bus, coming to see you."

"Why didn't you just ask me to pick you up from work—"

"Oh, Sasucakes, you _do_ care! I knew it!"

"…"

"Sasucakes?"

"I take it the cupcakes weren't all you ate?"

"…Nay."

"Hn."

"See, the little boy gave me a loot bag and there were all these candies—"

"Sakura, didn't we go over this? You need to _pace_ yourself."

"I know, I know, but Sasucakes it is so _hard_!"

"…"

"Wow, hun, some lady just gave me the dirtiest look for saying that."

"What?"

"It's not even dirty. I mean, well yes, that kind of was, but only if you were the one saying it."

"What are you talking about—"

"So what are you wearing?"

"…"

"Sasucakes?"

"…"

"Sweetheart—"

"Aren't you on a bus?"

"Yes, indeed I am, darling. I don't like taxis."

"A _public_ one?"

"Most of them are, cupcake."

"Aren't there _children_? Or old people?"

"Yes, yes, what's your point?"

"…"

"Sasucakes?"

"Never mind, Sakura…just… Hn."

"Right. So. Yes. What are you wearing?"

"…"

"Because I am wearing that red dress you like so much."

"…asdjklfg"

"Pardon me, Sasucakes?"

"I said… istallugt…"

"…_What_?"

"Isthatallyou'rewearing?"

"…"

"…Hn."

"Ha, well gosh, Sasucakes, I'm in public, how can you ask something like that?"

"…"

"But if you must know, I also have the black lace set."

"…"

"The lady is giving me a dirty look again. Should I give her the finger?"

"Sakura, you're trying to have phone sex with me in public."

"Yes but no one knows that but you and me, sweetcheeks."

"…Don't call me that."

"Oh, you're so cute, Sasucakes! I could just kiss you!"

"…"

"But really, you get flustered _way_ too easily."

"…"

"Sasucakes?"

"I'm hanging up now."

"What?! No, don't! I'm still like, ten minutes away from your apartment!"

"So?"

"Sasucakes!"

"_Ugh_, Sakura…"

"…Ha, ha, you just groaned my name! That sounded kind of wrong—"

"_Sakura_!"

"Okay, okay, I'm hanging up, I'm hanging up."

"…Good."

"By the way, I think I'm gonna pick up some Chinese for late lunch. Want anything?"

"…Get me the kung pao chicken and some fried rice."

"Sure thing, Sasucakes."

"Okay, I'm hanging up now—"

"No! Wait!"

"…_What_?"

"I love you, Sasuke."

"…Uh, right."

"…"

"Sakura, did you just _growl_—"

"I _love_ you, Sasucakes."

"…Yes…Iloveyoutoo."

"…Okay then! Bye, darling!"

"Bye."

…

…


	25. well you seem to have gained weight

**Title: **well you seem to have gained weight…**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#25 fence  
**Word Count: **670**  
Warning(s): **LovingHusbandIsh!Sasuke**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

I couldn't end this well. I just wanted to make fun of Sasuke, but I couldn't think of an ending… Sorry for the lameness!

-

-

_Wow, her stomach's huge…_

His thoughts were momentarily led back to the time that Naruto had declared that to her out load and she had bashed his head in.

_Right… Better not tell her that._

He was almost afraid to place his hands against her large stomach and touch the growing life inside. She was already in her final few weeks and Tsunade had told her not to come back to the hospital until she was in labor. Apparently, when he was gone for his mission, his wife had been 'way too bored' staying in the house and went to do some work.

"He's going to be a strong one," Sasuke declared, feeling the baby kick his hand.

"Tch…"

Sakura let out a low moan as she shifted on the bed, her lower back rather sore.

"Don't I know it," she grumbled with a slight frown. "All this little guy ever does is kick me and move all over the place and twist and turn." Sakura sighed and rubbed her belly. "He isn't going to be one for sitting still, that's for sure."

"Hn."

Sasuke scooted upwards to be at the same level as his wife. She rested her head on one of his arms and cuddled as well as she could into her chest. With one hand over her belly and the other gently running through her long pink hair, he kissed her on the forehead and breathed in her scent.

"What are we going to name him?" he asked quietly.

Sakura suddenly froze at his question.

She sat up abruptly and faced him with a mocking frown. "What do you mean 'we'?" she asked him, an eyebrow raised in indignation. "Sweetheart, the day that _you_ shoot a child out from your body, you get to name him, but while I am the mother, naming rights are mine."

Sasuke scowled.

"I… helped make him…"

Sakura rolled her eyes and gave him a small smile. She gently patted him on the cheek.

"Sasuke…" she began, speaking slowly as she tried to find the right words. "Well frankly, you just suck at naming things."

"What—"

"Yeah, seriously." She held up her two hands, keeping them rather far from each other. "See, this is you," she said, gesturing to her right hand. She then waved her left hand. "And this is the naming rights of our son." Sakura then began making wildly flail her arms. "And there is a whole fence and moat and battalion and _whatever_ in between them."

He remained glaring at her.

"…I do not suck at naming things."

"TCH! DO NOT MAKE ME LAUGH!" Sakura guffawed, falling back down to her pillow as she cackled her glee.

Sasuke was not amused.

After a few minutes, Sakura finally calmed down. She sighed quietly before turning to her pouting husband.

"Sasuke, _come on_, you can't _actually_ get mad at me for mocking your naming skills."

"I do not—"

"I mean seriously!" she began waving her arms again, much to Sasuke's annoyance. "Team Snake? Team Eagle—or was it Hawk?"

"It was—"

"Either way, it sucked," Sakura interrupted, a small smirk on her lips. "You may as well have been like, the 'Lame Brigade' or 'Team—"

"I get the point," Sasuke muttered, turning his back to her.

He was sulking, quite obviously, and Sakura almost felt guilty. Rolling her green eyes, she scooted over and turned onto her side to try and hug him from the back as well as she could with her rather large belly in the way.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke," she apologized, burying her face in his back. "…But it's true."

"Whatever," he grumbled.

He sighed and turned around once again to try and make her more comfortable.

"I'm sorry your naming skills suck," she murmured, eyes closed and falling asleep. "It's okay though. I still love you."

"Hn."

Not taking the blow to his pride very well and being one for revenge, Sasuke smirked.

"Well, I'm sorry you got fat."

"_WHAT_?!"

-

-


	26. i just called to say i love you

**Title: **I just called to say I love you**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#14 radio-cassette player  
**Word Count: **498**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

RETURN OF THE BANTER/PHONE-SEX!

-

-

"Mm, Sasucakes?"

"Sakura."

"Hello, honeybear. How are you?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you at work, sweetpea?"

"No. Sakura, I don't start work until September, remember?"

"Huh… Oh wait, yeah! Right, with your dad."

"Yes—"

"AND YOUR BROTHER! Oh… Mm, your brother…"

"_Sakura_."

"No worries, cupcake! You know you're the only one for me."

"Tch."

"I mean, while your brother just may be rather sexy and sensitive and _perfect_—"

"_Was there something you needed_?"

"…Huh?"

"Why did you call, Sakura?"

"Oh, yes. Thanks, Sasucakes, I totally almost forgot!"

"What is it?"

"You know how I just inherited my dad's Trans Am? The antique one—"

"—that _I_ have been restoring because you can't?"

"…"

"Hn."

"…Well… Yes."

"What about it?"

"Well you know how I'm getting the stereo changed because it had one of those radio-cassette players?"

"Yes."

"…Hold on. Start over. Sasucakes, you know I love you, right?"

"…"

"And that you love me—"

"_Sakura_."

"What?"

"Just get to the point!"

"Right, sorry, Sasucakes! See, last weekend, me and Ino went shopping—"

"Sakura!"

"This is relevant, I swear!"

"…"

"So yeah, we went shopping and then bam, I see _the_ most beautiful pair of shoes _ever_."

"…"

"…Sasucakes? Are you there?"

"…Yes, but my patience isn't."

"Ha, well anyway, I just _had_ to buy them, so I did. And then we went to this store and I saw—"

"Weren't you the one who said we have a budget?"

"…_Sasucakes_, okay, I gave you a car!"

"You got it from your dad for free. He was giving it to me, anyways."

"No, he wasn't!"

"Yeah, he was. But then you cut into our conversation and started being a brat."

"Listen, muffin. It's only because he wanted a freaking son and got me, instead. And I will _not_ condone this sort of behavior—"

"Just face it. Your dad likes me more than he likes you."

"…"

"Sakura?"

"SO YEAH. I WENT INTO A STORE WITH INO AND SAW THIS TOTALLY CUTE DRESS—"

"Where the heck are you going with this?"

"—AND THEN ALMOST A THOUSAND DOLLARS SPENT—"

"_What_?!"

"—LATER, I CAME HOME A TAD BIT BROKE _BUT_ BEAUTIFULLY DRESSED…"

"…"

"…Sasucakes?"

"…"

"Well, anyways, back to the original question."

"…asdglkjh."

"Right. Good Sasucakes. So I was wondering if you could pay for the car's new stereo system installment."

"…"

"I mean, it's already being done and um, I am sort of broke so… Oh, and can you pick it up for me, too, please?"

"…"

"Sasucakes?"

"Fine."

"…Iloveyou!"

"Yeah. Right."

"No, seriously, Sasucakes! You are my world! You are my light! You are everything to me!"

"Just shut up."

"I could kiss you right now!"

"Sure."

"And Sasucakes, tonight, I'll show you _another_ little thing I bought when I was with Ino."

"Oh?"

"I promise you'll like it."

"…On the floor?"

"…Perhaps."

"Tch. Right, I'll go pick up the car now."

"Thanks, Sasucakes!"

"Whatever."

"I love you!"

"Yeah, you too."

-

-


	27. kick off your stilettos

**Title: **kick off your stilettos**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#17 kHz (kilohertz)  
**Word Count: **659**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

We're not falling in love, we're just falling apart.

-  
-

She doesn't know him, but knows she's in heaven.

And still, even if she doesn't know like him, she continues _grindingrubbingdancing_. Her head is spinning and the flashing lights are making her even dizzier. Her feet are sore from the black stilettos she wears and she is hot despite being scantily clad as she is. The music is roaring and the people are loud and she can hear nothing with how fast the sounds are running by her. All she knows is herself and the boy she doesn't know.

His hands are gripping her thighs, his groin is rubbing against her center, his chest is pressing onto her breasts and his forehead is leaning on hers, cheek to cheek.

She can feel the dampness of his skin. As he _breathesinhalesexhales_ she can smell his breath. Most of it is vodka but it is laced with touches of sweet rum and strong amounts of marijuana. She tilts her head slightly and slants her lips across his, pushing her tongue into the cavern of his mouth.

He tastes like he smells. She finds in his mouth the bitter vodka and does not cringe. She savors the tang of the coconut rum she was drinking earlier and had shared with him. She intoxicates herself with the lingering flavor of his drug and moans pleasurably, imagining her next hit.

His tongue brushes against hers over and over she feels the familiar flavors _excitestimulateintoxicate_ her. His right hand runs up her thigh and he cups her bottom, giving it a hard squeeze. She groans into his mouth and presses herself against him harder.

She almost freezes when his left hand drags higher, lifting her dark skirt up. He brushes against the garter holding her fishnets up and the small plastic pack of her stash.

Immediately, her hand shoots behind her and she grabs his wrist. She pulls her head back and takes a deep breath.

"Mine," she mutters. "Fuck off."

She removes the package of pills from their place on her thigh and takes them away from his reach. She puts the tiny bagn in the left cup of her bra.

He smirks down at her. His hands run along her body – up her thighs, past her rear, along her back, down her arms – and he grips her wrists. His hold is light but he still gives off an air of dominance. His smile is chilling and challenging and part of her is scared.

The other part wants to drag him away from the dance floor and into her car.

"I've been a good boy," he says.

His voice is smooth and haunting. It is the perfect tone and it causes shivers to run down her spine.

His lips brush against the shell of her ear. He lowers his mouth downwards and kisses her along the nape of her neck. He grins against her skin at the pleasured mewls she makes and repeats his actions _overandoverandover_, liking her reactions very much.

"Can't I have a treat?" he asks.

She then flashes him a sultry smile. Her lips curve _eversoslightlyjustalittlebit_ and she opens her mouth faintly, showing only a small amount of her teeth. He then notices the small pill resting between her teeth, taunting him.

He readies himself to let go of her wrists and pull her into a ferocious and brutal kiss but she pushes her mouth against his harshly. She parts his lips with her own, not bothering to conceal her impatience, and pushes the pill into his mouth with her tongue.

Sparks fly behind their eyes and she shudders against the stranger. They are still _grindingrubbingdancing_ and _kissingsmoochingmacking_, and as she embraces his feel and scent and _taste_, he once again works his magic to _excitestimulateintoxicate_ her.

She moans in pleasure and pain as he fills her up with a new type of ecstasy.

She despairs at the thought of a new addiction.

She doesn't know him, but she knows she's in heaven.

-


	28. this i promise you

**Title:** this i promise you  
**Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#13 excessive chain  
**Word Count: **1152**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

YES. I AM ALMOST DONE THIS THING.

This is an AU.

-  
-

Maybe you're regretful.

Kind of.

You watch her silently as her lips twist and her eyes slowly begin to water as she remains sitting on your bed, leaning comfortably against the headboard with a pillow under her propped legs, intently playing her video game on his PSP.

You sit beside her with your textbook open and a blank notebook in hand that you'll probably never use. You should really be doing that stupid cause and effect essay but you can't help but just watch her instead, your paper to hell. The damn psych professor could deal with a bit of lateness.

There was a time when the two of you on your bed most definitely did not mean videogames and unfinished homework and that almost makes you laugh.

"So do you think you'll be done any time soon?" she asks rather tersely. You notice her twitch a bit and her nose scrunch and realize she's probably in a fight scene. "Because like, I'm kind of hungry and I can really go for some food right now."

"Naruto's in the kitchen already," you tell her. "You two are in my apartment all the time, you know. You should do my groceries." Although she was there more than Naruto—or well, only before, back when they were dating, but that was months ago so it didn't matter. "Just find something there."

"Aw, can't we like, order a pizza?"

You don't respond as you are too entranced with her face.

The light from the small screen shines against her pale skin making it look even whiter. Her green eyes glitter with excitement and anger and amusement and frustration all separate, then together, then separate again and so on. She jerks in one direction and then in the other while muttering soft curses. Her tongue darts out ever so slightly as she tries to concentrate on winning her battle.

When she eventually does so, you observe the way her tense shoulders slacken and listen to her breathe a sigh of relief.

She finally looks up and sees you staring. Her green eyes meet your black ones and a small flush appears on her cheeks.

It's almost cute.

"What?" she asks shyly, a bit defensively, too.

You lower your gaze. You'll never tell her but you're rather intimidated by her eyes. They're so clear and so green and when she looks at you with them, you feel as though she can see into your soul and she knows just what you're thinking.

Your gaze drops past her button nose to her rosy lips and down her neck. You see a chain hanging off of her neck, too long for you to see what was on it.

Impulsively, curiously, your hand shoots towards her neck and you pull the long necklace out from the shirt it is tucked behind.

"H—hey!"

You look at what's in your hand and you frown.

"You… still wear this?"

You hold the white gold band with your middle finger and thumb while scrutinizing the piece of jewelry with an impassive face. You brush your index finger along the tiny ruby and you feel yourself brought back half a year ago when you gave her the promise ring before you dumped her.

She's really something, you realize. She's still your friend even though you left her. You only dated for about a year but it was still something and still felt amazing and it still hurt to leave her but you're a stupid commitment-phobic _jerk_.

It's not your fault really. You grew up alone—mother with her little tea parties, father with his hours and work, and brother with his aloofness and inability to be social.

You were always by yourself and letting someone in and letting them in so _close_ was scary to you, so really, why did you date her?

Maybe it was her hair. It was very exotic and entrancing and you couldn't help be drawn to it back when you met her in your first year. Or maybe it was her eyes. They were very beautiful—they still are very beautiful. You hate how she can see everything with them, though.

Or maybe it was just _her_. As a whole—_all_ of her. She's just so amazing.

And you're a dick. You left her.

You _are_ regretful.

"Why?" you ask her. The chain is long, so even though you're holding the ring, you're not pulling her too much.

She shrugs and puts the PSP on your nightstand. "I don't know," she replies. "I guess… it just feels in place there." She looks up at you with straight lips and hard eyes and an all in all hardened façade but you can see under her mask she's cracking and breaking and crying. "What was the promise?"

You look confused and she sees it.

"The promise," she repeats, pulling back the ring and tucking it behind her shirt once again. "What was the promise? It's a promise ring, so there was a promise."

"It…"

You close your mouth because you don't even know what to say. Or well, you _do_, of course you do, you just don't want to. Telling her your promise would make her happy.

Her green eyes would light up and then she'd bow her head down in embarrassment with her pink bangs covering her face and then you'd see an almost dark flush appear on her pale cheeks and her pink lips pull into a smile and you don't want that, not any of that, because then you'd be regretful.

Which you are. So maybe it doesn't even matter.

"It was 'I will always return to you'…" you reply slowly, looking away, a blush of your own on your face.

You sigh. Damnit.

"I'm not good with relationships," you tell her. You've never told her that before. Not even when you were together, although she could probably tell because it's not that hard to notice. Naruto is probably the only constant person you've ever had but that's different. "And I'm no better with commitment, much less _loving_."

You raise both arms and pull the chain off her neck. You unclasp it and let the ring slide onto your palm.

"But…" You shrug lightly. "Well not _now_, but _soon_, maybe you can teach me…"

You slide the ring onto her finger like the way you did last time but this time there are words and declarations and this time she's crying and smiling unlike last time when she just gaped at you and stuttered her gratitude for the jewelry.

Her smile grows and she kisses you softly on the cheek. She giggles giddily and wraps her arms around you in a warm hug whispering, "Thank you."

You nod, your chin brushing against her head buried on your chest, and slowly, you hug her back.

So maybe you were regretful. You were.

But everything's okay now.

-


	29. it takes two to tango

**Title: **it takes two to tango**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#28 Wada Calcium CD3  
**Word Count: **1054**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

LAWL. Here's me attempting to do Sasuke in first person. And um, a (cliché) pregnancy fic. I'm not sure what genre this would be… Woe.

…

…

Killing Itachi was easy.

Well not _easy_ in the sense that I was able to do it in an instant. No, easy meaning that I knew how to do it and what not.

Although, not that I'm saying I don't know how to restore my clan, because I do. I think Kakashi made sure of that—

"I don't see what your issue is," she says, unfolding her legs from their crossed position on the couch to bring her knees up to her chest.

"You don't see what my issue is?" I grunt back, raising an eyebrow at her.

The goal of killing Itachi was rather straightforward. Really, if thought needed to be put into that task, it was going to be about how to do it, but to get it done, the steps were quite simple. Get stronger, and then kill him—like I said, _simple_. Obtaining this goal didn't _have_ to include other people, but if I really needed them, then I would get people to train me—like Kakashi or Orochimaru.

But as for my second goal…

This one is completely different.

"It's not like I'm asking you for anything," she mutters, crossing her arms over her chest, while I realize how much I liked the younger—more _obedient_—version of her better. "I'm just telling you what happened because um, hi, it takes two to tango."

The second goal actually _needs_ another person.

A willing _female_ person, at that.

"We're _seventeen_."

"Thanks genius, it's almost like I didn't figure that much out," she replies sarcastically with a small shrug.

I sigh. "Are you absolutely sure?"

"Am I absolutely sure?" she repeats for good measure, mocking me, I'm sure, before throwing a couch pillow at me. "What the hell kind of question is _that_, you jerk?! Of _course_ I am sure! Obviously I realize how serious this is, and how _not_ funny it would be if I was lying."

Restoring the clan, at first, I thought would be easy.

"Right…" I murmur.

Restoring the clan, at first, I thought would be _simple_.

"Yep," she says, crossing her legs again as she sits on the couch with a frown on her face. It's not that I thought she'd be _happy_ about the situation—because really, who would be?—but did she have to act so depressed? Although then again, it's not like I'm suddenly a ray of sunshine. "So…"

Restoring the clan is not easy nor is it simple.

"I'm not having an abortion," she states, holding her head high and glaring at me defiantly.

"Why not?" I hiss back.

It's not like I _want_ her to have one, but I don't know, it's almost on instinct that I have to rile her up.

"What the hell?" She throws another pillow at me, harder than the other times. "Okay, do you _know_ what abortions do to a girl? They can totally destroy my uterus—mess up any chances of me having kids in the future, and um, yeah, I want to be a mother one day."

I roll my eyes dully. "And that day will be soon…"

"Don't talk like that!" she shrieks indignantly. Sakura shakes her head. "This is your fault, you know."

I stared back at her incredulously. "_How_ is it _my_ fault, exactly?"

"Hmph, I'll _show_ you." She then stands up and puts her hands on her hips after making a show of loudly clearing her throat and tapping her chest lightly with her open palm. "Hey baby, we don't need a condom—"

"I did _not_ say that," I tell her vehemently. "And I don't talk like that either." I cross my arms over my chest and give her a smug look. "And it's not like you were so against it either."

Her cheeks heat up and she throws a pillow at me before sitting down again.

"This…" I begin, carefully looking down at her stomach. "This… I can't deal with this right now."

She gawks at me slightly, an incredulous expression on her face, as she sputters, "W—What?"

"I have a mission," I tell her.

After a moment, the incredulity turns into coldness as she stands up. "Whatever, go ahead," she snidely says. "Like I said, I'm not asking you for anything. I'm just telling you what happened."

I don't get why she didn't take that stupid morning after pill or whatever. I mean, the fucking pharmacy has vitamins for old people and painkillers for the injured and all other sorts of crap so why the _hell_ didn't she think of taking it? Sakura's a freaking medic, she of all people knows the consequences of things better than most—delivering babies for teenagers sometimes kind of makes the possibilities of unprotected sex apparent.

She walks to the door and I'm torn.

"So that's it?" I call out, watching her retreating form. "You tell me something like _that_ and just walk away?"

I half-expect a response of, "Hey, I told you I love you and you did the same thing," but it doesn't come.

Instead, Sakura abruptly turns around and glares at me. "Well what the hell do you want from me, Sasuke?!" I notice the frustrated tears on her cheeks and my first reaction is to kiss them away but I remain still. It takes her a few deep breaths to calm down and sit down beside me once again. "Look…"

Sakura sighs and takes the pillow, hugging it to her chest.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but…" She shrugs, looking at her lap. "Sasuke, you're hardly father material—"

I take offense to that.

"_Excuse me_?"

"You heard me," she sneers. "Sasuke, come on, you… you're still a kid inside! Sure, you're mature and disciplined and smart when you need to be but you're still a selfish brat underneath it all and hell, even you know it!"

She stands up and goes to the door, this time actually opening it. She still while in the doorframe and shrugs, looking back at me for a small moment.

"Maybe I should reconsider that abortion idea."

Sakura walks away and it takes me a few minutes to process what she said. She was going to have an abortion. Immediately, I shoot up from the couch and run after her.

Restoring the clan was not going to be easy.

…

…


	30. wait for me

**Title: **wait for me**  
Author/Artist: **ohwhatsherface**  
Pairing: **Uchiha Sasuke x Haruno Sakura**  
Fandom: **Naruto**  
Theme: **#30 kiss  
**Word Count: **767**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

I probably should have said this when I started this anthology. The lyrics in the summary are from _brighter than sunshine_, by Aqualung.

And okay, **READ THIS **(it'll help you understand the story better): so I was watching the trailer for the upcoming Naruto movie in which – according to some stuff I've been reading – Sasuke returns to help Konoha, I think. So um, obviously if he went there, for the sake of canon, he'd have to leave again… So yes.

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"Don't worry, you're going to be okay," she said to the pregnant woman who had fallen down a flight of stairs point during the attacks. Sakura smiled warmly at the couple. "And your baby is still perfectly healthy, although we would like to keep you here over night for observation."

The woman nodded and as Sakura walked out of the room, she heard her break into sobs of relief while clutching her husband.

Sakura stifled a yawn as she rolled her stiff shoulders. Two days had gone by since Sasuke and Naruto destroyed the Flying Stone Fortress and its soldiers that were attacking Konoha. Sakura had checked in on Naruto about an hour ago only to find him half way out the window, hoping to run away to Ichiraku for some decent food. She had merely rolled her eyes at his stuttered excuses and walked away, allowing Naruto to leave.

She eyed the room at the end of the hall wearily.

It was Sasuke's.

When her two former teammates had returned to the village beaten and battered, leaning against each other for support, Sakura had immediately rushed over to them to heal.

They went on for a few moments, proudly declaring Sakura should heal the other first, during which Sakura scanned for who had the most life-threatening wounds. Naruto, having the Kyuubi was healing slowly on his own, so Sakura worked on Sasuke first.

Slowly, Sakura opened the door to his room and stepped in.

The lights were off and the room was dark. The only light came from the open window and the moon outside.

Sakura closed the door behind her and walked over to the window. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the crescent that stood off in the dark sky. Her gaze lowered down to the torn city. Many of the buildings were in shambles. Much damage had been caused by the invasion and it would take a while for Konoha to return to how it was before.

Behind her, judging by the rustling of clothing, Sasuke was changing out of the hospital gown and back into his own clothes. She heard the clank of his katana as he slipped it between the layers of his belt, confirming that he was fully dressed.

She stiffened immediately when she suddenly felt him standing behind her.

"You don't have to knock me out this time," Sakura murmured, still coolly regarding the city outside.

"Hn."

Sakura turned around to face him and he unexpectedly stepped forward, forcing her back to hit the wall. He was so close, Sakura noticed painfully, feeling his warm breath against her face. She kept her gaze lowered, focusing on the column of his throat to avoid his smoldering eyes. He raised both arms, pressing his hands flat against the wall on either side of her head.

"Are you going back to Orochimaru?" she asked slowly, entranced by the way his Adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed.

"Aa."

"I see." Sakura smiled bitterly, still avoiding his eyes. "Don't worry, Sasuke-kun, I'm not going to try to stop you—"

He cut her off when he kissed her harshly, moving one hand to the back her head and running it through her hair. The back of her lips ground against her teeth at the force of his kiss before he pinched something in her neck causing her to groan into his mouth. He took the opportunity to force his tongue into her mouth, rubbing it against her own. Slowly, she allowed herself to kiss him back, moaning as his other hand began to roam against her body.

Sasuke pulled away when he felt her growing breathless and stepped back to give her more space.

She leaned against the wall as she struggled to catch her breath. "What was that?" Sakura panted, frowning at him.

He merely moved away from her to stand in front of the window. He crouched on the window sill, disregarding the damaged village. He seemed hesitant to jump out and leave, Sakura observed with confusion in her eyes. "Sakura…" he muttered.

Sasuke then looked at her over his shoulder.

"Wait for me."

Her eyes widened a fraction at his request and impulsively, she reached out to grab him before he jumped. "Y—you…" She didn't seem to know what to say, she just didn't want him to go. "I… You… helped save Konoha…"

He waited patiently for her to release her inhuman grip on his shirt. Slowly, she did so.

"Sasuke-kun… thank you."

With a curt nod, he jumped out the window and vanished once more.

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HELL YES. I AM _**DONE**_**. **

**Thanks for all your reviews and support, everyone!**


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